Statistical Assessment of In-Plane Masonry Panels using Limit Analysis with Sliding Mechanism

Historical masonry structures have a great interest in civil engineering since they constitute a large part of the world's building heritage.
In this paper the effects that different geometrical (panel ratio, block ratio, bond type) and mechanical (friction ratio) parameters have on the in-plane structural response of brick masonry panels are investigated. 
A discrete modelling approach, based on a Limit Analysis, capable of reproducing sliding mechanisms, formulation by one of the Authors have been adopted, enhanced and implemented. Results, in terms of collapse multipliers and collapse mechanisms, are presented and analysed following a systematic statistical approach. Statistically significant effects have been found for each factor considered. 
Furthermore, the statistical model adopted included non-linear terms that allowed to identify whether the effect of one parameter on the response depended on the level of any other parameters. Thus, it was observed that two-way factor interactions played an important role on the in-plane response of masonry panels. The panel ratio-friction ratio two-way factor interaction was the one with a more significant effect.