COMPRESSION BEHAVIOR OF CONCRETE MASONRY PRISMS

An analytical investigation using a three-dimensional finite element model was conducted to study the complex behavior of hollow block prisms under axial compression. Detailed stress distributions in different directions were determined which help in understanding the composite behavior and failure mechanism of both face shell and fully-bedded mortared prisms. The effects of type of mortar bedding, mortar deformational characteristics, block size, height-to-thickness ratio, number of mortar joints, and stiffness of bearing plates on the behavior of axially loaded prisms were studied. The results show that the most significant parameters are the type of mortar bedding, the prism geometry, and the stiffness of bearing plates. Recommendations for the determination of masonry compressive strength and evaluations of code provisions for the testing of concrete masonry prisms are presented. ©ASCE.