Experimental study on seismic behavior of stone masonry wall

Five dry-laid stone masonry walls were tested under cyclic loading to investigate their seismic performance and hysteretic characteristics.The main parameters were mortar strength and normal compressive stress.Based on the test results,the failure modes,strength,hysteretic curves,skeleton curves,deformation capacity,energy dissipating capacity and stiffness degradation of stone masonry walls were studied.It is indicated that normal compressive stress is the most important parameter that affects the failure modes of stone masonry walls.The shear strength of stone masonry walls increases along with the increases of mortar strength and normal compressive stress,though the influence of normal compressive stress is much more remarkable.The hysteretic curves of all stone masonry walls are of a plump shuttle shape,indicating that the specimens have good energy dissipating capacity.Obvious difference is discovered between stone masonry walls and other masonry wall,such as brick masonry walls,while pinching of hysteretic curves could be observed when these masonry walls experience large plastic deformation.