Development of a fiber model for load-bearing masonry members

In the last few years, the possibility of being able to control damage based on the probability of occurrence of an earthquake and designing on the basis of different performance levels, has arose. Masonry is still a widespread construction system for low-rise residential buildings even in earthquake prone countries; hence masonry needs to develop these design concepts. Experimental tests were performed in recent years at the University of Padova on different masonry systems, both reinforced, and unreinforced with different joint types. The tests were aimed at characterizing the masonry behaviour under combined in-plane cyclic loading, and they were used to develop an analytical model that reproduces the experimental results. This model is a formulation of a fiber element and is cast in the general framework of the mixed method. It includes effects of shear deformation, diagonal shear failure mechanism and it follows the response in the post-peak phase. The model is able to interpret the performances of masonry panels linking them with limit states resulting from integration of cross-section equilibrium equations.