Failure Criteria of Unreinforced Grouted Brick Masonry Based on a Biaxial Compression Test

Authors

Department of Civil and Structural Engineering,Tarbiat Modares University

Abstract

To de ne failure under biaxial stress, a three-dimensional surface in terms of two principal
stresses and their orientation to the bed joints is required. This article describes a series of biaxial
compression tests on full-scale brick specimens. Tests were performed on square unreinforced grouted
brick masonry specimens with the principal compressive stresses oriented at 0 and 90 degree angles to
the bed joints, and a failure surface was obtained in terms of these parameters. Test results indicated
that the masonry strength under equal biaxial compression is higher by about 36% on average than that
under uniaxial compression; the in
uence of joint orientation is very insigni cant and negligible for these
models.

Keywords