Experimental and Numerical Study to Improve Lateral Load Resistance of Masonry Stack

Abstract

Lateral load capacity of any structure plays a very important role to resist earthquake [1]. To understand the lateral load capacity of any low-rise masonry building, a 3D finite element model of unconfined brick masonry stack has been drawn here. The ANSYS modeling of plain brick masonry shows that masonry structure fails at the joint. Therefore, to impart ductility and strength in the stack, shear key of 4 mm diameter TMT bar of 1/8th, 1/6th, and 1/4th of longitudinal length of brick length is provided at every joint separately in different samples and performance of both confined and unconfined prism is tested against vertical and horizontal load [2]. The purpose of this study was to develop a better behavior of low-rise masonry building during earthquake. Numerical as well as experimental methods have been adapted to calculate the stress developed in masonry stack