Seismic Failure Behaviour of Masonry Domes Under Strong Ground Motions

Abstract General stability and failure behaviours of masonry domes under static loads have been detailly searched in literature. However, researchers have devoted little attention to their seismic failure behaviours under strong ground motions. This study aims a better understanding of seismic failure behaviours of masonry domes with support system including drum and buttresses using advanced 3D nonlinear numerical simulations under strong ground motions. Four types of masonry domes built on historical structures are selected such as a dome with circle drum, a dome with circle drum and buttress, a dome with octagonal drum, a dome with octagonal drum and buttress. The three-dimensional solid and finite element models of the selected masonry domes are created using isotropic continuum macro modelling technique with homogenized properties. Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) model is chosen for masonry material behaviour. Three different strong ground motion acceleration records of 1999 Düzce (M = 7.14), 1992 Erzincan (M = 6.69) and 1999 Kocaeli (M = 7.51) earthquakes are selected and matched to the target response spectrum with return period of 475 years in TBEC (2019) using the wavelet algorithm. Static and seismic failure behaviours of the four masonry spherical dome models subjected to the matched strong ground motion records are compared and evaluated using maximum principal stresses, damage propagation patterns and failure angles. Failure behaviour angles under strong ground motions are proposed for spherical masonry domes with support systems and thickness-to-span ratios t/R = 0.092.