Masonry - Science topic

Full-scale testing of lateral pressures in expansive clay under various saturation conditions is crucial to better understand the behavior of these soils and predict potential damage to structures. However, due to their complexity and cost, only a few full-scale physical testing studies on expansive soils have been reported in the literature. This...

The dynamic response for different earth-retaining walls having geogrid as a reinforcement, combined with cohesionless granular material for backfill to mitigate earth pressure, has been examined through scale-down shaking table experiments and full-scale 3D FE analysis, utilizing ABAQUS as the finite element software. The scale factor is 1/4th for...

Mortars are the binding materials used in the construction of masonry. Their composition comprises a homogeneous blend of cementitious materials along with inert fine aggregate fraction and water. The selection and composition of mortar are pivotal in masonry construction, as they have a significant impact on various characteristics, including stre...

System identification is widely used to estimate the dynamic characteristics of structures using either nonparametric or parametric approaches. Parametric system identification constructs mathematical models to estimate dynamic characteristics such as natural frequency, damping ratio, and mode shapes. Also, the same approach can be used to characte...

A potential material for creating high-strength materials based on in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) for lunar construction is regolith-resin composite (RRC). Although low-binder RRC shows sufficient compressive strength for lunar masonry applications, the advantages of ISRU-based construction are lessened by its restricted flexural capability. B...

Seismic events worldwide have shown that school buildings can exhibit vulnerability levels even higher than ordinary buildings. This highlights the urgent need for reliable risk analyses to guide decision-making in the implementation of large-scale mitigation policies. Developing seismic fragility curves that accurately reflect their typological an...

The historic centre of Évora city (Portugal) is classified as UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. It is surrounded by fortifications built during the 14th century (Cerca Nova) and classified as National Monument since 1922. After their construction, at least five restoration interventions (15th, 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries) were executed...

Numerical investigations were carried out on the progressive collapse resistance of reinforced concrete (RC) building with and without perimeter masonry walls when subjected to multiple column removal scenario and beam-column removal scenario. SAP2000 software was used. Linear static analysis and time history analysis was performed to assess the ef...

The study addresses the out-of-plane bending behaviour of masonry walls reinforced with an innovative 10 high-strength steel cord mesh embedded in bed joints. The research includes an experimental program on 11 masonry walls built with perforated brick units and lime-cement mortar, materials commonly utilized in the 12 construction of exposed brick...

The work developed aims to present an innovative methodology to execute the heritage conservation processes in a collaborative and interdisciplinary Building Information Modeling (BIM) project, with an effective management of the deterioration suffered over time, emphasizing the structures and coatings. The research begins with an architectural sur...

This article presents a comprehensive review of advancements in macro modeling techniques for assessing the seismic performance of reinforced concrete structures with masonry infill walls. The study emphasizes the importance of accurately modeling the contribution of masonry infill walls, which are often treated as non-structural elements in seismi...

In Afghanistan, masonry structures using burnt clay bricks have long been used for public and private buildings. However, still, there is no standard for masonry structural design based on local material properties. This study investigated the compressive strength of clay brick masonry prisms in Nangarhar, Afghanistan, through experimental testing...

This paper presents the analytical formulation to investigate the seismic performance of rocking masonry walls restrained by Dissipative Tie-rods (DTs). Experimental tests on one-sided rocking walls restrained by a DT are used to validate the formulation based on the dynamics of a two-degrees-of-freedom rigid-block rocking on a rigid foundation, an...

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the earthen architecture and construction scientific literature production at present, analysing the historical evolution, research patterns and trends and the investigation of the different existing earthen building technologies. Utilising the SCOPUS database, this study analysed 3804 do...

Transfer learning (TL) techniques can be exploited in engineering structures to overcome the main limit of the data-driven approaches for dynamic monitoring, namely the lack of a labelled dataset for some structural configuration of the monitored systems. A variety of methods can be implemented, but those that enable heterogeneous TL based on domai...

This study focuses on the effect of window openings on the seismic performance of the stone walls of Tibetan and Qiang dwellings. A typical stone wall of a Tibetan and Qiang dwelling constructed using irregular stone and yellow mud masonry in Li County, Sichuan Province, was chosen as a prototype, and two stone walls with different structural windo...

Ceramic brick masonry elements constitute the largest number of structural systems of historic buildings, especially sacral and public utility buildings. In the past, they were also very commonly used as a material for the construction of military facilities. Historic buildings and masonry structures undergo destructive processes over time, the cou...

This paper outlines an empirical approach to predict the drift capacities of fully grouted reinforced masonry (RM) shear walls under in-plane loading. The RM walls are provided with centrally placed single layer of reinforcement curtain, which raises a question on their drift and ductility characteristics over double layered reinforced concrete (RC...

Due to heavy usage, natural materials have become scarce. As a solution, several studies have been conducted to investigate alternative materials including industrial and construction waste. For example, research studies have been conducted to use fly ash along with cement in concrete. Furthermore, research studies are being done to investigate alt...

The proposed study deals with seismic vulnerability assessment and highlights the importance of evaluating urban vulnerability in historic areas. Focusing on Portugal’s mainland, the case study area is located within the historical part of the Lisbon city council. The main objective of the proposed research is to evaluate the seismic vulnerability...

With a drive for sustainable construction, various products are being introduced to promote recycling, but often their properties relation to behaviour in fire are not known. In this paper, the fire performance of crumb rubber and a plastic eco‐aggregate, called RESIN8, were assessed. Various tests, including cone calorimeter, thermogravimetric ana...

Masonry structures, particularly those used in developing countries and in historic buildings, typically consist of unreinforced masonry (URM) walls connected by timber or reinforced concrete elements. This study proposes enhancements to the existing two-dimensional (2D) deformable frame model (DFM) to enhance its ability in simulating masonry wall...

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is essential for preserving historical and modern infrastructure by tracking dynamic properties such as frequencies and mode shapes. Changes in these properties can indicate structural damage, but environmental factors like temperature can also cause similar variations, complicating damage detection. This study in...

Design and in-situ assessment of masonry structures is a challenging task due to the brittle and nonlinear nature of this widely used material, the complex interaction between its components, and the vast variability of material properties in its design space. Current methodologies often rely on oversimplified assumptions that inadequately capture...

The study uses simulation techniques and multivariate analysis to evaluate the seismic vulnerability of typical buildings in the urban area of Cuenca, Ecuador. Located in an area of rich cultural heritage and high seismic activity, it highlights the need to implement mitigation strategies to preserve the architectural heritage and ensure the safety...

The objective of this research is to analyze the spatial, functional, and constructive aspects of the water resource at the Archaeological Center of Tipon, given the lack of awareness towards the timely preservation of archaeological heritage, the deterioration of the terraces, and the contamination of the rivers adjacent to the archaeological site...

This study investigates the hygrothermal transport mechanisms in brick masonry, focusing on the applicability of different modelling approaches, namely detailed micro-modelling, continuous micro-modelling, discrete micro-modelling, and macro-modelling. The research addresses the challenge of balancing computational efficiency with accuracy in simul...

The mechanical properties of masonry materials have an inherent variability which may be attributed to the type of material (brick and mortar) and workmanship. Therefore, using a stochastic approach to investigate the behavior of Un-Reinforced Masonry (URM) structures provides a more realistic insight about their behavior. In this paper, the diagon...

Dry-stone structures are traditional constructions that are present everywhere around the world, with their stability working mostly by gravity. Contrarily to their in-plane behavior, their out-of-plane response is very brittle and is fully controlled by the geometry, as well as the contact properties, between units (stones). Two main local failure...

The advancement and proper utilization of construction materials are critical to ensuring the durability and longevity of civil engineering projects. Mortar plays an essential role in enhancing the cohesion and structural integrity of masonry buildings. This study aims to evaluate the workability of mortar by determining the optimal water content r...

Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) is a lightweight and environmentally friendly construction material that is being utilized in modern masonry construction. This paper presents the development of AAC, consisting of industrial wastes such as Class F fly ash and Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS). In this study, the AAC was composed of OPC,...

The fundamental period (TFP) of vibration is the time required for a structure to complete one full cycle of vibration, and it is one of the main features of the structural system. It highly influences the behavor of structures under earthquake excitation. Therefore, its determination is of highest importance for the seismic design of buildings. Th...

Masonry buildings are very popular all over the world, and generally, they are assemblages of masonry units and mortar. However, they are prone to damage and even collapse due to the characteristics of masonry structures. The damages are mainly caused by natural disasters (e.g., flooding, earthquake, and landslide) or human activities (e.g., fire,...

Introduction The occurrence of destructive earthquakes has been the cause of many human and financial losses in Iran. With the development of urbanization and construction activities in the vicinity of active faults, the risk of earthquakes has been increasing in recent centuries. Studying the risk of earthquakes and its consequences is an importan...

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a methodology used to analyze the environmental impacts of a product. Initially, it was applied to buildings only, but recently, it has also been applied to entire neighborhood. This expansion from individual buildings to the neighborhood scale requires additional inputs, such as the impacts of public spaces, transpor...

In one of the shallow bays of Lopar, in the northern part of the Island of Rab, dominates a rocky islet known as Lukovac. Despite its small size, the islet reveals unique late antique architectural remains. Based on the fieldwork conducted, it can be concluded that almost the entire area of the islet was covered by masonry buildings. The islet was...

The 2015 seismic events in Nepal highlighted critical challenges in constructing earthquake-resilient, self-built stone masonry houses in rural mountain areas. The Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC), however, provided designs that failed to preserve the local architectural landscape and craftsmanship while adding unfa...

Water-stable proteins may offer a new field of applications in smart materials for buildings and infrastructures where hydraulic reactions are involved. In this study, cement mortars modified through water-soluble silk fibroin (SF) are proposed. Water-soluble SF obtained by redissolving SF films in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) showed the formati...

Alkali-activated bricks are considered as a sustainable alternative in masonry construction. These bricks are produced by reacting the waste materials in an alkaline environment using alkali activators such as sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide. The current study is done to explore the viability of manufacturing alkali-activated bricks using indu...

Low water resistance is the main shortcoming of unfired earth materials, requiring chemical stabilisation for some durable applications. Ordinary Portland cement (PC) is an efficient stabiliser, but it goes against the ecological and sustainable nature of earth construction. This study explores the use of low-carbon thermoactivated recycled cement...

The seismic assessment of historical masonry bell towers is of significant interest, particularly in Italy, due to their widespread presence and inherent vulnerability given by their slenderness. According to technical codes and standard practice, the seismic evaluation of masonry bell towers can be conducted using a range of methodologies that var...

The article provides brief historical and archival information about the object of cultural heritage of regional significance “Mansion of the philistine Galaktionov G.I.”. A description of the decorative solution of the facades of the building, information about its spatial planning solution is given. The emphasis is placed on an unusual design sol...

Despite significant scientific and technological advancements in earthquake engineering, earthquakes continue to cause widespread destruction of the built environment, often resulting in numerous fatalities and substantial economic losses. Southeastern Europe, which includes Croatia, is part of the Mediterranean–Trans-Asian high-seismic activity zo...

The paper describes a technique for approximating the deformation diagram and determining the stages of destruction of masonry under uniaxial compression based on the results of the analysis of state diagrams using the Zinoviev method. The boundaries of the cracking stages are determined during equilibrium compression tests of the masonry. The crac...

Historical heritages embody the identity and evolution of a people, making their preservation paramount. Buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries constitute a significant portion of this heritage, and evaluating their behavior under potentially damaging actions is crucial for mitigating and preventing irreparable losses. Despite Brazil's location...

The ultrasonic testing has been considered a promising method for diagnosing and characterizing masonry walls. As ultrasonic waves tend to travel faster in denser materials, their use is common in evaluating the conditions of various materials. Presence of internal voids, e.g., would alter the wave path, and this distinct behavior could be employed...

This article calculates horizontal and vertical heat and moisture fluxes in the wall based on measurements of temperature and relative humidity in the building wall. It was a basement wall that was close to the ground on one side and the basement ceiling on the other, which increased the difficulty in problem simulation. The brick material from the...

This research presents an experimental analysis of the mechanical behavior of masonry mortars incorporating disposable face masks (FMs) cut into two different sizes. The objective is to provide experimental data contributing to the consolidation of recycling FMs in mortar mixtures. To achieve this, two types of mixtures were prepared: one with stri...

In this paper, the seismic performance of a typical apartment residential building with concrete frames as structural system on the first floor and confined masonry walls in the other floors is evaluated. The case study is located in Acapulco, Guerrero, and is designed considering old traditional building codes with the help of the ETABS software....

On February 6, 2023, at 04:17 and 13:24 local time, two major earthquakes struck Pazarcık and Elbistan districts of Kahramanmaraş, Turkey. The first earthquake had a moment magnitude of the Mw = 7.7 at a depth of 8.6 km, while the second earthquake had a magnitude of the Mw = 7.6 at a depth of 7 km. The earthquakes impacted eleven cities in Turkey,...

The Philippines experiences frequent flooding, but, despite expansive tools for risk reduction, there remain gaps in understanding generalised relationships between flood events and damage to residential structures for regions outside the nation's capital. This gap has limited the ability to model flood risk and damage without robust functions to l...

Masonry infills are frequently employed as both outer and inner partitions in reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures due to their outstanding characteristics in terms of energy efficiency, fire resistance and sound isolation. However, common construction practice typically involves the mortar connection between masonry infills and RC frames. For...

Since the Unreinforced masonry structures are prone to dynamic loadings induced by earthquakes, a thorough comprehension of the behavior of these structures will help to improve their seismic performance. On the other hand, seismic performance improvement of unreinforced masonry walls was a very vast field of investigation. The primary aim of this...

The proposed research studies the properties of gypsum mortars made with polymeric waste from the manufacturing process of high pressure laminated (HPL) thermosetting decorative panels, composed of cellulose paper layers impregnated with phenolic resins and melamine resins. The waste generated in the cutting, profiling and milling of the decorative...

Hydrophobic (or water repellent) treatments have been proposed to mitigate moisture risks associated with internal wall insulation when applied to solid masonry walls. This can reduce risks associated with moisture accumulation within the structure such as mould growth or the deterioration of joist ends and other embedded timber. Where treatments p...

In this paper, a masonry bridge is simulated in order to assess both its structural and seismic vulnerability. Therefore, the present study aimed to approximately analyze the real behavior of Mikron Bridge structure. The modeling was conducted by combining the finite element method (FEM) and discrete element method (DEM) using the ABAQUS® software....

To improve anti-collapse behavior of an existing masonry structure under earthquake action, a new thin beam-column system was proposed. In order to verify the efficiency of the strengthening method, as one of the series projects, this paper focuses on the cooperative work behavior of an existing masonry wall and an externally added reinforced concr...

Several structural models aim to predict the behavior of masonry walls. Those are included in technical standards strive to ensure the anticipation of the structural capacity, thereby assuring its safety. Different regions of the world encompass diverse parameters for predicting the lateral capacity of masonry members. This study sought to compare...

In this paper, a masonry bridge is simulated in order to assess both its structural and seismic vulnerability. Therefore, the present study aimed to approximately analyze the real behavior of Mikron Bridge structure. The modeling was conducted by combining the finite element method (FEM) and discrete element method (DEM) using the ABAQUS® software....

The residential construction industry in Sri Lanka demonstrates a clear preference for specific construction technologies and materials used in building. This study explores the Construction methods of Sri Lankan residential buildings, focusing on the cultural and economic importance of housing as a reflection of social status. The research examine...

Objective: During the composting process of organic waste, the leachate from the degrading windrows requires treatment processes due to its significant load of polluting substances. Frequently, the approach adopted to treat leachate involves a combination of different processes. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a biological treatment...

The study investigates work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) among manual construction workers in Bangladesh, a significant health issue in this labor-intensive industry. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 397 workers from various construction sites, examining pain distribution across different body parts, and identifying the mos...

For professional tunnelling engineers, particularly in the early stages of a project, this study will be useful as it provides a critical assessment of what works best in the RMR rock mass classification system and how the values derived from it can be translated into the establishment of a practical rock safety system 45 years after its developmen...

The recent earthquakes in Afghanistan and the other regions of the world showed that we are not safe enough from earthquakes. Due to the situation and the unnecessary growth of urbanization in Kabul City, the occurrence of a strong earthquake in this city will cause a lot of damage and casualties. Hospi