Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Engineering Failure Analysis, cilt.182, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
In this study, the effects of hollow geometry on the structural behaviour of vertical hollow bricks are comprehensively investigated. Numerical analyses were performed on twelve different brick types with various hollow geometries to develop alternative designs that can replace traditional bricks. The mechanical properties of the clay-based material used in the analysis were determined experimentally. Compressive and tensile strength tests were performed on cube and cylindrical samples produced in the brick factory, and the behaviour of the material was described based on the results. Initially, the behaviour of bricks under axial and lateral loads was analysed for different hollow geometries. Compressive loading tests in three directions were carried out for conventional hollow masonry bricks and compared with numerical results to validate the modelling approach. Among the new designs, bricks with a central arch form were found to be structurally superior. The influence of different arch geometries was also evaluated to identify the optimum structural performance. The Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) model in ABAQUS was used to simulate the material's plastic deformation and damage mechanisms. The findings underline the importance of hollow geometry optimization for improving structural performance. The final design, Brick No:11, demonstrated significant increases of up to 24 % in load capacity, 13 % in stiffness, and 182 % in energy dissipation capacity under X, Y, and Z loading directions, compared to the reference brick. These results show that optimized geometries can significantly enhance mechanical performance without changing raw material usage or requiring modifications to the production process. The study highlights a practical approach to improving earthquake resistance in masonry construction and lays the groundwork for developing innovative, performance-based brick designs. In light of these promising results, trademark registration has been filed under the name ArchBrick™, and a patent application has been submitted to protect the novel geometry.