Computational modelling of clay brickwork walls containing openings

The use of the Distinct Element Method to simulate the response of single leaf clay brickwork walls with openings to vertical, in-plane, static loading is described. The walls were modelled as an assemblage of stiff yet deformable bricks with mortar joints as zero thickness interfaces. Conventionally, the results of tests on small specimens are used to determine the material or interface parameters. These values usually need to be adjusted to allow for inherent variations in the materials, workmanship effects and differences in the boundary conditions of the small-scale tests compared with those in the larger structure. In this research the material and interface parameters were determined by applying a manual optimisation to the results of a series of laboratory tests carried out on full-scale wall panels. The computational model was then used to predict successfully the behaviour of a longer span wall panel constructed from a similar brick and mortar combination.