Combined Finite-Discrete element method for parameter identification of structures

Masonry structures are constructions made of discontinuous blocks that require unique numerical methods incorporating contact, friction, and cohesion models for their analysis. Given the large number of aging structures of this type still in use, there is a demand to combine these numerical methods with optimization algorithms to help in structural health monitoring. This paper combines discrete and finite methods with genetic algorithms for parametrizing two masonry structures. The first is a bridge with a large number of blocks, the material properties of which are estimated with a small error. Since the loads are low, the mortar's properties are irrelevant. The second is a buried ogival vault; starting from only four pieces of experimental data from the literature and related with the failure loads, the material and contact properties are calculated. From them, many other failure loads are again iteratively calculated and favorably compared with the rest of the data. To further validate the inverse problem, the computed properties are used for several runs of the same vault but under different loads, obtaining again an almost perfect agreement with the experiments.