Kerong Zhou¹ and Li Tian²

1. Professor, Building Engineering Department, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China, zhoukerong@mail.tongji.edu.cn
2. Senior Engineer, Hong Kong H.C. Planning Construction Design Research Institute Co. Ltd, Shanghai 200093, China, hchc@vip.163.com

ABSTRACT

On the basis of available experimental results concerning the biaxial strength of masonry, the failure criterion of masonry under arbitrary biaxial stress is investigated. The influence of bed joint orientation on strength of masonry under biaxial stress is reflected in the criterion by taking account of orthotropic behaviour of masonry strength. The model suggested can be used as the criterion to judge the failure of homogenized masonry structures.

Furthermore, cracking criterion of masonry is suggested according to experimental phenomena. According to different stress state, principal tensile stress and principal tensile strain cracking criteria are suggested. Suggested models are applicable to smeared cracking element model, and the influence of bed joint orientation on crack pattern can be neglected for use of the models.

KEYWORDS: failure criterion, biaxial behaviour, shear strength

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