The Effect of Settlement Pattern and Wall Dimensions on Tolerable Rotation of Dry Joint Masonry Walls at Different Damage Levels

Differential settlement plays a crucial role in the stability of masonry structures, and understanding their behavior under such conditions provides essential insights into their vulnerability. This study investigated the behavior of masonry walls subjected to differential settlement using the three-dimensional discrete-element method (3DEC). The effects of geometric parameters (wall length and height) and two settlement patterns (sagging and hogging) were evaluated using numerical analyses. A total of 200 data points were analyzed using ANOVA to determine the statistical significance of each parameter. The results indicate that the settlement pattern is the most influential factor, except at the lowest damage level. The mean tolerable rotation under hogging was approximately 1.56%, 42.66%, 50.34%, and 53.3% lower than that under sagging for damage levels ranging from very slight to severe, identifying hogging as the more critical condition. Furthermore, an increase in the length-to-height ratio led to greater structural vulnerability. Overall, the code-specified limits were found to be conservative relative to the numerical findings.