Computational advances in masonry structures : from mesoscale modeling to engineering application

Abstract

Masonry is a composite material that can be defined as a material incorporating a visible internal structure and having a low strength in tension. The latter characteristic has shaped most civil engineering structures up to the advent of reinforced concrete and iron/steel. The paper will detail two separate modelling issues: micro-modelling and homogenisation techniques, which represent both a popular and active field on masonry research; the engineering use of sophisticated numerical modelling, using one emblematic case study on a heritage structure, which poses significant challenges for practitioners.