Abstract:
In this study, the in-plane structural behavior, capacity, and performance of dry-joint stone masonry walls (DJSMWs)
and the effects of the vertical stress level on these factors are investigated via a stochastic discontinuum
analysis that considers the material uncertainty. A discontinuum type of analysis is performed based on the
discrete element method (DEM), where each stone masonry unit is explicitly represented in the computational
model. To better simulate the cracking and shear failure modes within the stone units, a coupled fracture energybased
contact constitutive model is implemented into a commercial discrete element code, 3DEC. First, the
proposed modeling approach is validated by comparing to experimental findings in literature. Then, the
approach is used to explore the failure mechanism and the force–displacement behavior of DJ-SMWs, considering
different vertical stress levels and material properties. The results of the novel modeling strategy provide a better
understanding of the progressive collapse mechanism of DJ-SMWs and the influence of the vertical stress level.
Furthermore, the outcomes of this research indicate the major role of the frictional resistance at the joints in the
safety and performance assessment of the dry-joint load-bearing masonry walls. Finally, important inferences are
made regarding the non-spatial and spatial stochastic discontinuum analysis.