Time history analysis of slender masonry towers: a simplified Bouc & Wen approach

Considering the need of simplified but effective methods to assess the seismic response of existing masonry towers, the paper investigates a simplified approach based on an equivalent single degree-of-freedom Bouc & Wen model. As a prototype of masonry towers, a cantilever masonry beam is analysed assuming that the first modal shape governs the whole dynamic behaviour. With this hypothesis the paper discusses the identification of the Bouc & Wen model parameters in order to reproduce the cantilever masonry beam hysteretic response. The results of the simplified Bouc & Wen approach are compared with the results of finite element (FE) simulations to discuss the effectiveness of the method.