Non-Linear Micro-Model of RC Frames with Infill - Experimental

Background

L. Krstevska & D. Ristic

Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Seismology (IZIIS),
University "Ss. Cyril and Methodius", Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

ABSTRACT: In the paper presented are experimental results obtained from the tested 12 different ma-
sonry models, realized in IZIIS-Skopje, with the objective to define basic stress-strain relations for dif-
ferent infill types in RC frame systems. The test results are implemented for development of nonlinear
micro-model based on discrete components presented in separate paper. The integral study is com-
pleted in the framework of the realized Task-2, leaded by Prof. Danilo Ristic. Task-2 actually repre-
sented a basic part of the integral multi-national 3-year European project realized under the title:
INCO COPERNICUS–"EUROQUAKE" - "Towards European Integration in Seismic Design and Up-
grading of Building Structures", successfully realized with participation of seven well known Euro-
pean institutions.
KEYWORDS: Experimental testing, masonry models, non-linearity, stress, strain.

1 INTRODUCTION

Frame structures with masonry infill represent systems that are widely present worldwide, particularly
in Europe. The nonlinear response of these systems to the effect of strong earthquakes represents one
of the most complex physical phenomena, whereas the complexity of the characteristics of nonlinear
behaviour is mainly due to the complex nonlinear behaviour and the complex failure mechanisms of
the materials used for the structure. The complexity of modeling of the nonlinear response of the frame
is increased also due to the effect of the infill whose nonlinear response depends very much upon the
specific characteristics of the applied materials like: type of bricks, quality of mortar, possible rein-
forcement, geometry and thickness of the infill, the existence or non-existence of openings in the infill,
etc. During the analysis of these systems and in the case there is a need of detailed explanation of the
physical phenomena of nonlinear behaviour of the infill frame or in the case the equivalent truss
method cannot be successfully applied, it is necessary to formulate the so called micro-analytical
model of the system. The micro modeling concept requires an extreme number of degrees of freedom,
i.e., a great number of nodal points and applied "specific nonlinear finite elements" whereat it is neces-
sary to enable realistic interpretation of nonlinearity of all the built-in materials. The experimental
definition of stress-strain of masonry relationships is of an essential importance for the micro-
modeling concept, enabling realistic simulation of the nonlinear behaviour of the infill within the
frames of the RC frame structures under dynamic effects. Within the European project INCO CO-
PERNICUS - "EARTHQUAKE" - "Towards European Integration in Seismic Design and Upgrading
of building Structures", a fundamental theoretical activity in the domain of original development of a
refined concept of micro-modeling of reinforced-concrete frames with infill of non-reinforced and re-
inforced masonry was realized in the Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Seismology
- Skopje. To that effect, realization of basic experimental research activities was programmed within
which frames the fundamental stress-strain relationships were experimentally defined for several dif-
ferent and representative types of infill, referring to both ordinary and reinforced infill.
2 RESULTS FROM TESTS ON BRICK MASONRY MODELS CARRIED OUT IN THE
IZIIS LABORATORY – SKOPJE

To provide relevant experimental data enabling realistic interpretation of the nonlinear behaviour of
the brick masonry infill up to failure, a series of 12 experimental tests were carried out at the Dynamic
Testing Laboratory in IZIIS. All the brick masonry models were constructed in full scale by use of the
same materials (hollow bricks, mortar, geogrids) that are used in practice and were also used for the
construction of the experimental full-scale models of complete brick masonry infill frames tested in
the European Research Centre in Italy (ELSA, Italy), the National Research Centre (ISMES, Ber-
gamo) as well as the University of Bristol, England. For these experimental models, comparative
nonlinear dynamic analysis was performed by application of the originally proposed analytical micro-
model based on the concept which is explained in more details in a separate paper presented at this
Conference.
Within the frames of the experimental investigations, two characteristic types of tests were per-
formed in IZIIS: (1) tests with simulated diagonal pressure performed on 8 experimental full scale
models, and (2) tests by simulated vertical pressure performed on 4 models. Tested were 4 different
types of masonry and for each of these, 2 identical models were tested to enable direct comparison of
the obtained experimental results. All the models were constructed of identical type of bricks with ver-
tical holes (42 % of the total cross-section area), with proportions 250 x 120 x 190 mm and compres-
sive strength normal to the joints of σbc =13.3 MPa. The mortar was of category M3, with volume ce-
ment:mortar:sand ratio of 1 : 1 : 5 and average compressive strength of σmc = 5 MPa. The proportions
of the models were b/h = 90/100 cm. Figure 1 shows the tested types of masonry models, while Figure
2 schematically displays the two types of realized tests.

Figure 1. Types of tested masonry: with thickness of one brick, d = 120 mm, b) with thickness of two
bricks, ordinary, d = 250 mm, c) with thickness of two bricks, reinforced by geogrids, d = 250 mm

Geogrids type TENSAR SS30 were used for strengthening, i.e., reinforcement of the models of
reinforced masonry. The average yielding force under tension defined experimentally is Fyt = 29 kN/m
(tested sample with a width of b = 100 cm), whereas the corresponding strain for that stage of yielding
is εyt = 5% = 0.05.
In both types of tests, the compressive force was applied in semi-cycles by graduate increase of
intensity via an actuator with a capacity of Fmax = 1500 kN. To measure the physical quantities of in-
terest, all the models were instrumented by corresponding gauges. Defined successfully in this way
were the characteristic points of the envelope curves, which is of a great importance for the clarifica-
tion of the characteristics of nonlinear behavior of the tested types of masonry and the successful theo-
retical simulation of the specific physical damages up to failure by application of the adopted analyti-
cal "micro" models. The concept of micro modeling depends on the successfully formulated specific
nonlinear stress-strain relations under the effect of different types of loads.
 a) b)

Figure 2. Type of tests: (a) diagonal compression, (b) vertical compression

Figure 3. Failure mechanism of elements tested under diagonal compression

2.1 Diagonal Compression Tests

The first phase of experimental testing of masonry was performing of diagonal compression tests.
Eight wallets - masonry models have been tested. Figure 3 shows the characteristic phase of damage of
the models observed during the diagonal compression tests. The typical envelope stress-shear strain
curves for the two tested samples of the same type of infill are given in figure 4.
Tabular presentation of characteristic quantities, i.e., maximum shear stress τm, shear strain γ, ini-
tial shear modulus Go and average shear modulus Ga obtained from the diagonal compression tests is
given in Table 1. Taking into account that masonry represents a composite material, the recorded dis-
persion of the obtained values of mechanical characteristics is expectable.

W25NPNG: τ−γ ENVELOPES W25PNG: τ−γ ENVELOPES W25PG: τ−γ ENVELOPES

TEST3 & TEST4 & AVERAGE TEST5 & TEST6 & AVERAGE TEST7 & TEST8 & AVERAGE

600 1000 1200

900
500 1000

Shear stress τ (kPa)

Shear stress τ (kPa)

Shear stress τ (kPa)

800 average
700
test6
400 800 test7
test3 600
average average test8
300 500 600

test4 400
200 400
300
200
test5
100 200
100
0 0 0
0 2 4 6 0 2 4 6 0 2 4 6 8
o o
Shear strain γ ( o/oo ) Shear strain γ ( /oo ) Shear strain γ ( /oo )

Figure 4. Stress-shear strain relationships, diagonal compression tests

Table 1. Results from diagonal compression tests (mean values)

Description τm (MPa) γ ( 0/00 ) G0 (MPa) Ga (MPa)
test

of element
1, 2 Wallet of d=12cm, no plaster, no 0.70 0.60 2375 1781
geogrid
3, 4 Wallet of d=25cm, no plaster, no 0.54 0.72 1481 1111
geogrid
5, 6 Wallet of d=25cm, with plaster, 0.81 1.07 1513 1135
no geogrid
7, 8 Wallet of d=25cm, with plaster 1.09 0.75 2907 2180
and geogrid
τm - maximum shear stress γ - shear strain
Go - initial shear modulus Ga - average shear modulus

2.2 Vertical (axial) compression tests

The second phase of experimental testing of masonry was performing of axial compression tests. Four
models have been tested and the characteristic failure mechanism, as well as the representative enve-
lope stress-strain curves obtained from these vertical axial tests are given in figures 5 and 6, respec-
tively.
The given diagrams (Fig. 6) show the obtained envelope curves for the axial stress-axial strain re-
lationship that represents a very useful parameter in clarifying the behaviour of brick masonry under
the effect of this type of compression.
The failure of the non-reinforced masonry under compression is complex and takes place in the
mortar, along the mortar connections and within the bricks themselves, whereas in the case of the rein-
forced masonry, the presence of the geogrid contributes to the improving of the nonlinear characteris-
tics of masonry, increasing of the bearing capacity, improvement of the ductility as well as more stable
behaviour under iteration of load cycles. The representative results from these tests are summarized in
Table 2 showing the maximum force Fm, the strain under maximum force - δm, the maximum axial
stress σm, the axial strain -ε , the initial elasticity modulus Eo and the average elasticity modulus Ea.
 Figure 5. Failure mechanism, axial compression tests

W25PNG: F-δ ENVELOPES W25PG: F-δ ENVELOPES

TEST9 & TEST10 & AVERAGE TEST11 & TEST12 & AVERAGE

1600 1800

1400 1600
test10 test11
1400
Axial force F (kN)

Axial force F (kN)

1200
test9 1200
1000
test12 average
average 1000
800
800
600
600
400 400
200 200
0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10

Deformation δ (mm) Deformation δ (mm)

Figure 6. Axial force - strain relationships, axial compression tests

Table 2. Results from axial compression tests (mean values)

test Description of element σm (MPa) ε ( 0/00 ) E0 (MPa) Ea (MPa)

9, 10 Wallet of d=25cm, with 4.49 0.85 10580 7935

plaster, without geogrid
11, 12 Wallet of d=25cm, with 5.16 0.66 15559 11669
plaster, with geogrid

2.3 Synthesis of experimental results from the testing of the masonry models constructed of
ordinary and reinforced masonry

Based on the defined stress-strain relationships obtained by analysis of the measured values during the
experiments, the quantities necessary for the comparative analysis of the advantages, i.e., differences
among the tested types of masonry as well as the parameters necessary for further micro-analysis of
the adopted analytical models were computed. Based on the mean envelope curves (since two identical
wall models were available for each test), idealization of the force-deformation (P-δ) i.e., σ−ε and
τ−γ relationships was further done for each tested type of infill whereby were obtained the parameters
necessary for modeling of the nonlinear behaviour of the infill elements incorporated in the analysis:
• Point of occurrence of the first cracks C, stress σc and strain εc ;
• Point of maximum bearing capacity, stress and strain at this point - σm and εm ;
• Initial elasticity modulus, Eo;
• Mean value of elasticity modulus, Ea;
• Initial shear modulus, Go;
• Mean value of shear modulus, Ga;
• Axial strain ε ;
• Shear strain γ .
Some more important considerations arising from the analyzed experimental results could be the
following:
• The tested models were constructed of the same type of bricks and mortar. However, depending
on the mode of building and finishing and whether it is ordinary or reinforced masonry, there are
slighter or bigger differences in strength and in the mode of nonlinear behaviour under cyclic load;
• The type of failure experienced by the models was complex in all the tested elements whereat all
the incorporated components (bricks, mortar and geogrids) affected the mode of failure.
• Depending on the mode in which the models were tested (diagonal pressure or axial pressure), the
strength characteristics of masonry are considerably different, which must be appropriately treated
also in the formulation of the analytical models;
• The bearing capacity under diagonal pressure of elements constructed of ordinary masonry with a
thickness of 25cm is about 55% greater than the bearing capacity of the elements with a thickness
of 12.5cm, which means that there is no linear proportionality in the bearing capacity-wall thick-
ness relationship. This is certainly due to the effect of the complex composition of the masonry.
Referring to the capability for energy absorption, which is clearly shown in the nonlinear range,
i.e., in the declining part of the presented force-deformation relationships, the models with thick-
ness of 25 cm show considerably better capability. The greater ductility of this masonry is due to
gradual loss of bearing capacity due to the complex participation of the different components in
the failure process, while the loss of strength and the failure of the thinner element are very sud-
den.
• The plastering increased the bearing capacity significantly, but there was a very sharp drop in
strength after the occurrence of cracks, which directly resulted in decrease of ductility.
• The reinforced masonry has increased bearing capacity, about 30% in diagonal compression and
15% under axial compression, significantly improved ability for energy absorption, greater ductil-
ity and protection of the element integrity, stable behaviour with controlled and uniform failure,
properties preferred in earthquake conditions.
• The bearing capacity of masonry under axial compression is 4 to 6 times greater than the capacity
under pure shear loading.
• Considering the complexity of masonry as a material and the possible variations in its basic
strength parameters, it is important to perform a greater number of experimental tests for obtaining
reliable data to characterize a certain masonry type. The analysis of the results should be carefully
and critically carried out. In such a way, a qualitative analytical simulation of the nonlinear behav-
iour of the infill and its realistic interpretation as a part of the structure might be expected.

REFERENCES

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Krstevska, L., 2002, Development and Application of Non-linea Micro Models for Evaluation of Seismic Be-
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IZIIS, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
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