Abstract
eformability for failure analysis of masonry structures. Many people in developing
countries live in masonry structures. In earlier DEM schemes, a structure is modeled
as an assembly of rigid elements, but element deformability cannot be considered. The
deformation of a structure can be modeled by overlapping between elements, but Poisson’s
effect cannot be modeled. However, bricks used in developing countries can readily be
deformed due to their low stiffness. Therefore, it is preferable to also consider element
deformability in the DEM. In the new DEM, each element is divided into two parts: an
inner part that considers deformation of the element itself, and an outer part that deals
with contact between elements. Deformation of a structure can be modeled by overlapping
between elements and deformation of the elements themselves. The validity of the method
is confirmed through a comparison of the elastic deformation with a finite element model.
It was found that the original DEM and the proposed method show different failure patterns
of seismic behavior due to Poisson’s effect.
