Estimating joint stiffness and friction parameters for dry stone masonry constructions

Abstract

Dry stack stone masonry constructions, such as corbelled vaults, pillared halls composed of monolithic components, and structural walls generally undergo rigid body failure mechanisms such as overturning or sliding under lateral action caused by support settlements or earthquake shaking. Such structural systems rely purely on self-weight and sliding resistance through friction to resist lateral actions. To develop any reliable numerical model for the damage assessment of these stone masonry structures, knowledge of joint normal and shear stiffness along with friction parameters is essential. The objective of the present work is to estimate these joint parameters for dry masonry joints through experimental tests. Joint shear test and axial compression test have been performed on granite stone blocks. Role of various aspects such as surface roughness, pre-compression levels, moisture condition (dry and wet) and dilatancy on the joint behaviour are considered in the 54 joint shear tests conducted. Numerical simulation of the joint behaviour using a model based on discrete element method (DEM) with parameters obtained from the experiments demonstrates a direct application of the outcome of the experiments.