Estimation of Mechanical Properties for Masonry Infills – Experimental and Numerical Approach.

Abstract

Brick Masonry is a composite material that is widely used in Low cost Building construction. Apart, brick masonry infill panels become an integral part of Reinforced Concrete (RC) Frame structures and Confined masonry structures. Therefore, behavior of brick masonry becomes a matter of investigation. Large numbers of experimental investigations are conducted worldwide to predict behavior of brick masonry and relatively good insight is already developed. However, brick masonry being influenced by many local parameters show wide variation in their mechanical properties and thus leads to varied behavior. To reduce such experimental efforts Numerical analysis method becomes popular amongst the designers. However, numerical method requires mechanical properties of brick masonry specially, compressive and shear strength, Elastic modulus, Shear modulus and Poisson's ratio. In the major project work, mechanical properties of brick masonry are estimated through brick units, Prisms and Wallettes. Brick masonry prisms are prepared and tested under compression load as per Indian Standard IS:1905, while masonry wallettes are prepared and tested for shear as per American Standard ASTM E519. Apart, brick units and mortar cubes are prepared and tested under compression load. It has been found that mechanical properties like compressive strength, shear strength, Elastic modulus, Shear modulus, Poisson's ratio, strain of brick masonry are found in line with existing and established results published in the literature. A Finite Element (FE) analysis for brick masonry prisms and wallettes are also carried out. A convergence study is also conducted to derive efficient FE model for brick masonry prisms and wallettes. Plasticity parameters as available in the literature are adopted to capture non-linear behavior of brick masonry under compression and shear loading. A good agreement between Experimental results and FE Analysis results is observed. Apart, it has been found that design values considered for the brick masonry design by codal provisions are quite conservative in nature.