Abstract

In recent years population growth has led to an increase in water consumption, requiring its extraction from the water table, causing overexploitation of aquifers and therefore high levels of subsidence. The phenomenon of subsidence has been present throughout the Mexican Republic for more than 30 years, manifesting in gradual subsidence of the surface that are reflected in the structures as differential subsidence of the foundation, which tries to adjust to the characteristics of the land, causing considerable structural damage, economic losses and sometimes loss of human life. In this research, numerical simulations were performed using the Abaqus / CAE software on walls and frames, both of concrete, and the amounts of steel were varied to see the influence of the reinforcement on the load capacity of each element, applying vertical loads at a point of the element [pulldown] in order to obtain numerical models that simulate the real behavior and compare the results with experimental models with which load capacity curves, angular distortions and fragility curves were obtained for each element against the effect of subsidence, providing evidence of its performance against this phenomenon in the future to obtain calculation methodologies that take into account this effect and thus ensure the quality of buildings and the safety of human lives.

Abstract

The gradual sinking of the surface caused by the subsidence is a geological phenomenon that affects several countries around the world and has been the cause of substantial material damage in elements with low stress strength. Masonry structures have been greatly affected by these differential settlements, due to their low resistance to this solicitation. In order to be able to accurately assess the state of damage present in these structures, during the investigation the behavior of masonry walls of different dimensions is analyzed, under the action of differential settlements. The numerical models were developed through a detailed micro-modeling in the Abaqus / CAE software. The partitions and mortar were considered with Mohr-Coulomb and Drucker-Pragerelastoplastic behavior, joined by interface elements represented in all vertical and horizontal joints. A mesh study was conducted to define the optimum mesh density and its use of a finite first order element. The numerical models were calibrated with experimental results, to then study the influence of the dimensions of the wall in their resistance, obtain the values of angular distortion for which the structure begins to have irreversible deformations, construct the load curves vs. angular distortion and elaborate the fragility curves of the material, through which the damage status of a masonry wall can be assessed, subject to a certain angular distortion value.