Multiscale Problems: Modeling, Adaptive Discretization, Stabilization, Solvers

Masonry structures constitute a large component of the built environment and often form part of the national heritage. The development of reliable techniques for the numerical simulation of the behaviour of such systems is of considerable importance. We assume that masonry structures may be modelled as an aggregration of bodies in non-penetrative frictional contact. The motion of an individual body is assumed to be governed by the equations of linear elasto-dynamics leading to a large scale system of linear equations subject to inequality constraints. We compare the numerical performance of a number of alternative methods for solving the discrete system, and show how certain formulations permit a natural construction of an upper a posteriori error bound. Dynamic simulations of relevant benchmark problems will be presented.