Yield surface of a zero-tension rectangular masonry section subjected to an eccentric compressive force

This research paper examines masonry subject to limited compressive stress assuming the material cannot sustain any tensile forces and attempts to define the yield domain of a rectangular section subjected to eccentric compressive normal forces. This domain comprise of convex surface portions, each portion described by a different nonlinear function made up of normal forces and bending moments. The yield domain is described by a kinematic collapse mechanism, unlike simplified methods often considered in the literature. The use of such a domain in ultimate limit analysis applications, and its linear approximation is proposed.