Author
ALMEIDA, C. and COSTA, C. Q. and GUEDES, J. and ARÊDE, A. and COSTA, A. A.
Faculty of Engineering of University of Porto, Civil Engineering
COSTA, A.
University of Aveiro, Civil Engineering

Abstract
The characteristics of masonry walls are defined by using the mechanical characteristics of their constituents, namely stones, mortar and infill, but also by construction details such as the stone dimensions and shapes, the contact surface between stones (defining dry joints or mortar joints), the joints thickness and regularity, and other aspects. In this context, the present paper addresses the influence of stone shapes, internal voids and mortar on the mechanical characteristics of single-leaf stone masonry walls. In particular, a masonry wall retrieved from a building located at the centre of Porto was cut into panels, transported into and tested in the Laboratory of Earthquake and Structural Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto. As part of testing, compression tests were carried out leading to interesting results concerning the influence of contact conditions between stones and of internal voids on the walls global behaviour. In order to better understand the observed behaviour and to evaluate the effect of internal voids on such a wall type, numerical simulations were performed on both the transverse section and the elevation of the wall.

Key words
Stone Masonry, Compression Tests, Experimental Testing, Numerical Modelling