Numerical modelling of the dynamic behaviour of masonry structures

This chapter is devoted to comparing two numerical approaches for modelling the dynamic behaviour of masonry structures. The constitutive equation of masonrylike materials with bounded compressive strength and the dynamic problem for both three-dimensional bodies and one-dimensional structures are presented. The numerical methods implemented in the codes NOSA and MADY, respectively for three- and one-dimensional structures, are outlined. With the aim of comparing the two numerical procedures, two examples, a masonry tower with rectangular cross-section and a masonry arch, are addressed. The structures are subjected to their own weight and to three accelerograms recorded during real earthquakes. The comparison with the numerical results obtained assuming a linear elastic behaviour for the materials constituting the tower and the arch has stressed the importance of accurate constitutive models for masonry.