A multi-parameter homogenization study for modeling elastic masonry

The aim of this paper is to identify the macroscopic overall effective elastic proper-ties of masonry in relation to variations in the intrinsic specific parameters which characterize the microstructure. Using a finite-element technique, Cecchi and Di Marco (2000) performed a parametric study on the ratio between the mechanical characteristics of the mortar and of the blocks, defining also the ultimate behavior in the case the blocks are considered as infinitely stiff. The present paper deals with on a more extensive investigation, involving a study in three perturbative parameters, i.e.: the usual scale parameter, a parameter for the ratio between the elastic moduli of the mortar and the blocks which, in comparison with the previously-mentioned work, considers the mortar as increasingly deformable, plus a further parameter relative to the ratio between the thickness of the mortar joint and the characteristic length of the microstructure. The results are obtained in analytical form and they are compared with the solutions already reported in the literature. They provide an effective means for the mechanical characterization of masonry with different mechanical and geometric characteristics. (C) 2002 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.