Author

MAURIZIO ANGELILLO
Universita di Salerno
and RENATO SANTE OLIVITO
Universita della Calabria
Abstract

The adherence of a masonry-like (no tension) model is verified by comparing the theoretical predictions for horizontally loaded brick panels with the experimental results obtained by testing scale models of the walls. The essential ingredients of the theory of masonry-like materials in the orthotropic case are presented; some more sophisticated material laws are introduced to analyse complex phenomena such as damage and failure of the walls. Surprisingly, the simple masonry-like model turns out to give reasonable predictions not only for the global stiffness of the panel but also for the fracture pattern and the mode of failure. The substantial difference between strength predictions and experimental results could be ascribed to the adoption of a perfectly plastic strength criterion despite the experimental evidence of a pronounced softening and a rather limited ductility.