Comparative study of NLFE models for simulating settlement-induced damage in masonry façades: macro- and simplified micro-models
Damage assessment for masonry structures subjected to settlement is crucial for ensuring structural safety, guiding repairs, and preserving the built environment. Non-linear finite element modelling offers an effective approach for this purpose, though balancing model complexity, computational cost,...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Built Environment |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1618329/full |
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| author | Alfonso Prosperi Michele Longo Paul A. Korswagen Giorgia Giardina Jan G. Rots |
| author_facet | Alfonso Prosperi Michele Longo Paul A. Korswagen Giorgia Giardina Jan G. Rots |
| author_sort | Alfonso Prosperi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Damage assessment for masonry structures subjected to settlement is crucial for ensuring structural safety, guiding repairs, and preserving the built environment. Non-linear finite element modelling offers an effective approach for this purpose, though balancing model complexity, computational cost, and predictive reliability remains a key challenge. This study addresses the absence of a systematic comparison between macro- and simplified micro-modelling strategies for such analyses, clarifying their respective strengths, limitations, and sensitivity to key parameters. The performance and accuracy of semi-coupled NLFEM models are compared in simulating the response of a 1/10th scaled masonry façade under settlement, available from prior research. The two approaches considered are: simplified micro-modelling, where bricks are represented as expanded blocks with non-linear interfaces for mortar joints and their contact edges, and macro-modelling, where masonry is homogenised into an equivalent orthotropic composite material. The macro-models employ two well-established constitutive models, the Total Strain Rotating Crack Model (TSRCM) and the Engineering Masonry Model (EMM), to capture the non-linear cracking behaviour of masonry. Sensitivity analyses assess the influence of base interface models and the interface’s tangential stiffness. The results show how the selection of the modelling approach depends on the analysis objective: The macro-model with the Engineering Masonry Model best predicts damage severity, deviating by only 10% from the experiment, further improved by calibrating the minimum head-joint tensile strength. While all models yield similar predictions for vertical displacements of the façade, the TSRCM better captures overall and horizontal displacements, whereas the simplified micro-model more accurately represents the crack pattern. The EMM-based macro-models are the most computationally efficient, with TSRCM requiring 1.5 times the CPU time of EMM, and the micro-model requiring twice as much. The analysis also shows that the TSRCM-based macro-model is more sensitive to variations in the type of base interface models and base interface tangential stiffness, convergence criteria, incremental-iterative procedure, and analysis settings, whereas the EMM macro-model and the simplified micro-model are less affected. By identifying the strengths and limitations of each modelling approach, this study supports informed modelling choices for a more reliable assessment of settlement damage, contributing to the effective protection of existing masonry structures. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0eca0be49b1f4a719664ae0a4b23d867 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2297-3362 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Built Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-0eca0be49b1f4a719664ae0a4b23d8672025-08-20T03:09:51ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Built Environment2297-33622025-06-011110.3389/fbuil.2025.16183291618329Comparative study of NLFE models for simulating settlement-induced damage in masonry façades: macro- and simplified micro-modelsAlfonso Prosperi0Michele Longo1Paul A. Korswagen2Giorgia Giardina3Jan G. Rots4Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Department of Materials, Mechanics, Management and Design (3MD), Delft, NetherlandsDelft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Department of Materials, Mechanics, Management and Design (3MD), Delft, NetherlandsDelft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Department of Materials, Mechanics, Management and Design (3MD), Delft, NetherlandsDelft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Department of Geoscience and Engineering, Delft, NetherlandsDelft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Department of Materials, Mechanics, Management and Design (3MD), Delft, NetherlandsDamage assessment for masonry structures subjected to settlement is crucial for ensuring structural safety, guiding repairs, and preserving the built environment. Non-linear finite element modelling offers an effective approach for this purpose, though balancing model complexity, computational cost, and predictive reliability remains a key challenge. This study addresses the absence of a systematic comparison between macro- and simplified micro-modelling strategies for such analyses, clarifying their respective strengths, limitations, and sensitivity to key parameters. The performance and accuracy of semi-coupled NLFEM models are compared in simulating the response of a 1/10th scaled masonry façade under settlement, available from prior research. The two approaches considered are: simplified micro-modelling, where bricks are represented as expanded blocks with non-linear interfaces for mortar joints and their contact edges, and macro-modelling, where masonry is homogenised into an equivalent orthotropic composite material. The macro-models employ two well-established constitutive models, the Total Strain Rotating Crack Model (TSRCM) and the Engineering Masonry Model (EMM), to capture the non-linear cracking behaviour of masonry. Sensitivity analyses assess the influence of base interface models and the interface’s tangential stiffness. The results show how the selection of the modelling approach depends on the analysis objective: The macro-model with the Engineering Masonry Model best predicts damage severity, deviating by only 10% from the experiment, further improved by calibrating the minimum head-joint tensile strength. While all models yield similar predictions for vertical displacements of the façade, the TSRCM better captures overall and horizontal displacements, whereas the simplified micro-model more accurately represents the crack pattern. The EMM-based macro-models are the most computationally efficient, with TSRCM requiring 1.5 times the CPU time of EMM, and the micro-model requiring twice as much. The analysis also shows that the TSRCM-based macro-model is more sensitive to variations in the type of base interface models and base interface tangential stiffness, convergence criteria, incremental-iterative procedure, and analysis settings, whereas the EMM macro-model and the simplified micro-model are less affected. By identifying the strengths and limitations of each modelling approach, this study supports informed modelling choices for a more reliable assessment of settlement damage, contributing to the effective protection of existing masonry structures.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1618329/fullnon-linear finite element analysesunreinforced masonrysettlementmicro-modelmacro-model |
| spellingShingle | Alfonso Prosperi Michele Longo Paul A. Korswagen Giorgia Giardina Jan G. Rots Comparative study of NLFE models for simulating settlement-induced damage in masonry façades: macro- and simplified micro-models Frontiers in Built Environment non-linear finite element analyses unreinforced masonry settlement micro-model macro-model |
| title | Comparative study of NLFE models for simulating settlement-induced damage in masonry façades: macro- and simplified micro-models |
| title_full | Comparative study of NLFE models for simulating settlement-induced damage in masonry façades: macro- and simplified micro-models |
| title_fullStr | Comparative study of NLFE models for simulating settlement-induced damage in masonry façades: macro- and simplified micro-models |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparative study of NLFE models for simulating settlement-induced damage in masonry façades: macro- and simplified micro-models |
| title_short | Comparative study of NLFE models for simulating settlement-induced damage in masonry façades: macro- and simplified micro-models |
| title_sort | comparative study of nlfe models for simulating settlement induced damage in masonry facades macro and simplified micro models |
| topic | non-linear finite element analyses unreinforced masonry settlement micro-model macro-model |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2025.1618329/full |
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