Combined photogrammetry and mechanical testing of
fired clay brick
Kombination aus Photogrammetrie und mechanischem Testen
von gebrannten Ziegeln
M. Batinic´
1
, M. Galic´
1
, B. Trogrlic´
1
, V. Divic´
1
, I. Racetin
1
, A. Mihanovic´
1
A novel experimental tensile apparatus and testing methodology, developed in or-
der to define necessary material parameters for mathematical formulation of a con-
stitutive model of fired clay brick is presented in this paper. In order to account for
irregularities in sample geometry, a photogrammetry workflow for digital 3D re-
construction of samples was conducted, and non-dimensional coefficients account-
ing for geometric irregularities of test specimen was introduced. Mechanical tests
were carried out on a series of fired clay brick specimens, sampled from brick
blocks. Statistically analysed experimental data, corrected with the aforementioned
coefficients, yielded modulus of elasticity, Poisson’s coefficient, and extreme ten-
sile stress/strain relationships that, were used in the proposed numerical con-
stitutive model.
Keywords: Fired clay brick / photogrammetry workflow / mechanical properties /
tensile testing / tensile strength
Schlu¨ sselwo¨ rter: Gebrannte Ziegel / photogrammetrischer Arbeitsablauf /
mechanische Eigenschaften / Zugfestigkeitspru¨ fung / Zugfestigkeit
1 Introduction
Masonry structures, due to their mechanical and
thermal characteristics, construction flexibility and
practicality, have many advantages in comparison to
other building materials, and are the focus of scien-
tific analyses in last decades [1]. Masonry structures
are subjected to static, cyclic and dynamic loads.
Among other properties, behaviour under static
compression tensile fracture and crack propagation,
brick and mortar interaction is analysed [2-4]. All
these studies have led to conclusions about mechan-
ical properties of masonry walls in their totality,
showing that the properties greatly depend on me-
chanical properties of brick blocks and mortar, as
well as mortar bed thickness and quality, and boun-
dary conditions of masonry walls [5-7]. In terms of
the stress-strain relationship, the properties depend
on the orientation of main stresses in relation to the
mortar bed placement.
Masonry wall mechanical properties, including
compression, tensile and shear strength, are defined
based on measurements. In case of special mortar,
e. g. epoxy resin, etc. [8], they are homogenised, i. e.
local fracture and cracks occur in brick blocks, or
on the mortar bed. So far, most tests have been per-
formed on masonry walls as a whole, and the ob-
tained properties are defined for integrated masonry
Corresponding author: M. Batinic´, Faculty of Civil En-
gineering, Architecture and Geodesy, University of
Split, Ulica Matice hrvatske 15, 21000 SPLIT, CROA-
TIA,
E-Mail: milko.batinic@gradst.hr
1
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Ge-
odesy, University of Split, Ulica Matice hrvatske 15,
21000 SPLIT, CROATIA
Materialwiss. Werkstofftech. 2018, 49, 1399–1408 DOI 10.1002/mawe.201700106
1399
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