ANISOTROPY OF STRENGTH AND ELASTIC CHARACTERISTICS DURING COMPRESSION OF MASONRY OF HISTORICAL BUILDINGS

Abstract

The article presents analytical dependences for calculating the compressive strength and elastic modulus of masonry made of ceramic solid bricks under axial uniaxial compression at arbitrary angles to horizontal mortar joints of masonry. Satisfactory agreement of experimental and theoretical values of masonry strength under compression at different angles to horizontal mortar joints is shown. A method for determining the basic variables included in the analytical equations of the computational model of the compressive strength anisotropy of masonry of existing structures, based on tests of specimens-prisms cut from masonry, has been developed and experimentally substantiated. Comparative tests of the strength and elastic characteristics of masonry were carried out using specimens-prisms and standard specimens. It was found that the average values of the initial shear strength of masonry obtained on the specimens-prisms and standard specimens differed by no more than 8 %, and the compressive strength perpendicular to the plane of horizontal joints and the elastic modulus of masonry – by no more than 5 % and 1,2 %, respectively, which indicates the applicability of the proposed method for assessing the strength and elastic characteristics of masonry of existing structures.