Automatic mesh generator for the non-linear homogenized analysis of double curvature masonry structures

An automatic full 3D mesh generator for the non-linear 3D homogenized discrete FE analysis of masonry double curvature structures is presented. The method can reproduce the main features exhibited by masonry, preserving the orthotropy and accounting for the influence of membrane loads on the flexural behavior. Previous homogenization procedures allow reducing the number of variables, leading to non-linear analyses with a low computational burden. In the approach proposed, masonry is modeled through an assemblage of elastic cells joined by non-linear interfaces with finite thickness. The latter are modeled as brick elements with softening replicated by a damage constitutive relationship (known in Abaqus - the commercial FE code used - as Concrete Damage Plasticity). The discrete mesh is obtained automatically by means of an ad-hoc routine which transforms a standard 2D homogeneous FE mesh into a 3D orthotropic elastic model with non-linear interfaces connecting contiguous elastic elements (cells). The proposed method is applied to a hemispherical dome and a cloister vault, with abundant experimental and numerical data available in the literature to compare with. Sensitivity analyses are conducted in order to have an insight into the reliability of the method, which proved excellent predictivity capabilities, as far as both the peak load and the activated failure mechanism are concerned.