Investigation on unified model of constitutive relations for masonry

Abstract

In order to establish a unified model of constitutive relations for masonry explain the relationship between energy dissipation and damage energy in the process of uniaxial masonry compression. Based on the application of energy principle and the theory of damage mechanics, a constitutive relation of masonry with parameters is proposed by combining a damage function and the stress-strain curve’s characteristics which is under axial compression. The constitutive relation expressions of masonry for different materials can also be determined, only in combination with the peak stress and strain of the axial compression test. To verify this model, the constitutive relation of the perforated shale brick masonry was put forward according to it’s compression tests results and the constitutive relation fits well with the experimental data. Besides, not only in the small deflection, it’s curve shape is basically in line with these constitutive relations suggested by others, but it can also avoid the defects of these relations to reflect the curve features in the large deformation.