Non-linear homogenized and heterogeneous Fe models for FRCM reinforced masonry walls out-of-plane loaded

Two distinct non-linear FE modeling techniques are compared to have an insight into the efficacy of FRCM reinforcement for masonry subjected to out-of-plane loads. In particular, both a micro-modeling technique and a homogenization approach are compared. The first approach is a tridimensional heterogeneous procedure where constituent materials (bricks, joints, reinforcing mortar and reinforcing grid) are modeled separately. The second technique is a consolidated two-step homogenization where the meso-scale homogenization problem is solved discretizing the elementary cell with few elastic constant stress triangles (bricks) and non-linear interfaces (joints). The non-linear structural analyses are performed replacing masonry at the macro-scale with an assemblage of rigid elements interconnected by non-linear homogenized springs (HRBSM modelling). Both models are directly implemented in the commercial software Abaqus. Advantages and limitations of the two approaches are discussed in detail -especially as far as the rather different computational effort required by the two strategies is concerned-with reference to their ability in reproducing global force-displacement curves and crack patterns of some reinforced wallettes in simple bending.