Dynamic multi-body behaviour of historic masonry buildings models

This paper analyses a series of shaking-table tests on three 1/10-scale 3 dimensional dry masonry models of some plan area and different height and total mass. Sinusoidal waves varying in frequencies based on both constant amplitudes and constant accelerations are used as input. The aim is to gain better insight into the behaviour of masonry historic structures subjected to seismic action by using the approach of multi rigid body dynamics. The models are relatively simple. Yet a sufficient number of blocks is used to ensure that the fundamental interaction among parts of masonry walls connected in 3D to form buildings is replicated to reasonable accuracy. Results are presented in terms of relative displacement, frequency and energy content of the motion of selected instrumented block. Global results in terms of deformed shape and crack pattern of the walls are also discussed.