The Effects of Opening on the Structural Behavior of Masonry Wall Subjected to Compressive Loading - Strain Variation

Abstract

The area around openings in the form of doors, windows and opening for mechanical and electrical services in axially loaded structural masonry panels are locations of strain concentration. In order to capture the true distribution of strains in discontinuous regions such as opening, test was made to measure the surface strain variation around the opening in masonry panels subject to compressive load using uniaxial foil strain gauges. Experimental results were compared with results of finite element analysis. Measured strains near the opening boundary showed high localized strain concentration near the opening boundary, which reduce as the distance from the opening boundary increase. Analytical results were in good agreement with the experimental results, where the lowest correlation factor is 0.715.