Implementation of an elastic no-tension material model in a sequentially linear analysis framework

Sequential Linear Analysis (SLA) has been recognized by researchers as a valid alternative for the analysis of brittle materials compared to incremental-iterative finite element solutions. The elastic no-tension masonry-like material model, with infinite strength in compression and negligible tensile strength, has been implemented in plane stress conditions within the SLA framework. The isotropic no-tension masonry-like material is replaced with an orthotropic one, which exhibits a negligible response along material axis where the principal stress reads positive. In the SLA framework, a series of linear elastic analyses are carried out, sequentially aligning material axes with principal stress directions, and reducing directional stiffness at the critical material points where positive stresses are found. This process is carried out up to the point when the change in the total strain energy finds a plateau. The implementation follows a combined application of a user subroutine in Abaqus with Matlab and Python scripts. Several cases dealing with self-weight, settlements and horizontal loading are developed to demonstrate its applicability. The results demonstrate the possibility to generate compressive stress fields, with tensile stresses virtually vanishing at all material points.