A CONCURRENT MICRO/MACRO FE-MODEL OPTIMIZED WITH A LIMIT ANALYSIS TOOL FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF DRY-JOINT MASONRY STRUCTURES

A two-step strategy for the mechanical analysis of unreinforced masonry (URM) structures, subjected to either in- or out-of-plane loading, is presented. At a first step, semi-automatic digital tool allows parametric modeling structure that, together with an upper bound limit and heuristic optimization solver, enables tracking most prone failure mechanism. second coupled concurrent FE model micro- macroscales assumed. micromodeling description allocated regions within mechanism found in former step. In converse, other domain are modeled via macroscale approach, whose constitutive response elastic orthotropic formulated through closed-form homogenized-based solutions. The application framework based on nonlinear static (pushover) conducted three benchmarks: (i) in-plane loaded URM shear wall; (ii) U-shaped structure; (iii) church. Results given terms load capacity curves, total displacement fields, computational running time; compared against those microscopic tool. Lastly, conclusions potential future research streams addressed.