Numerical Modeling of Masonrywalls Subjected to Explosions

Abstract

Masonry walls are widely used in urban centers. Studying their response to explosive loads is crucial, both for improving the design of structures susceptible to such actions and for developing tools for analyzing terrorist attacks, military assaults, or industrial accidents. Predicting the structural response of walls to explosions is a complex challenge due to their nonlinear nature, influenced by factors such as adhesion and friction mechanisms between their components. In recent years, various authors have proposed simulation models with different levels of complexity. These include micro-models, which detail all the components of the wall; simplified micro-models, where the mortar and interfaces are grouped to form contact surfaces between the bricks; and homogeneous macro-models, which consider an orthotropic material to reflect the variations in mechanical behavior in different directions. It is essential to study and compare these models, as well as to calibrate the numerous parameters that define them. This work presents an alternative explicit modeling approach and compares its results with previously obtained experimental data.