Modelling of the in-plane behaviour of stone masonry panels

This chapter discusses the in-plane behaviour of masonry panels with different slenderness ratios and distinct levels of compression load, subjected to shear loading, using advanced numerical simulations. It explores the behaviour of masonry walls with different geometries and compression loading subjected to in-plane horizontal loads using advanced numerical simulations. The numerical study is based on an experimental campaign performed at the University of Pavia on stone masonry piers. The piers subjected to higher compressive loads proved to have more capacity in terms of horizontal load, when compared with the ones with the same geometry but lower level of compression. The in-plane behaviour of masonry walls tested experimentally was done resorting to finite element models. In order to calibrate the numerical models, the elastic modulus of masonry was updated for adjustment of the walls' stiffness to the experimental behaviour.