ANALYSIS OF BIM AND MCDM INTEGRATION IN DESIGN, MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION STAGES

The article analyses the possibilities of synergy between MCDM (Multi Criteria Decision Making) methods and BIM (Building Information Modeling) technologies in order to identify a better integration way and propose a strategy for integrating MCDM and BIM. The two ways of integration were identified after performing literature analysis – the linear one and integrated one. The stages of the integration strategy were discussed and a key strategy for improving the synergy between MCDM and BIM was found. The key strategy intended for masonry veneer and masonry structures in design, manufacture and construction stages to make a decision.

Retrofitting of Confined Brick Masonry with FRP

Brick masonry structures are commonly used in world because of its simplicity and economy. However, it is susceptible to failure in earthquakes because of the bricks weak interlocking bonds and brick masonry structures designed mainly against gravity load demand. Therefore, in recent years research work has been conducted to confine the unreinforced brick masonry with reinforced concrete tie beams and column, to improve its seismic performance. This enhances both the lateral resistance and stability of the entire structure, to perform as one mass unit against the lateral forces. However, the effect of confining brick masonry through reinforced concrete member has been evaluated in the past only on testing single cantilever walls or single room. Therefore, this research work aims to evaluate its influence on large structures i.e., highlight its limitation and afterward mitigate the damages by introducing external FRP strengthening techniques. The structures configuration is based on the observation made in Pakistan’s rural areas where mostly brick masonry structure. Confined brick masonry walls are subjected to quasi static lateral loading, afterwards retrofitted with FRP and tested again. The test result discussion includes load response behavior, stiffness degradation, energy dissipation and damage indices. Keywords: Confined brick masonry, RC tie beam column, FRP, Retrofitting, Seismic analysis, Quasi Static

Static and Impact Response of a Single-Span Stone Masonry Arch

Unreinforced masonry structures are susceptible to man-made hazards such as impact and blast loading. However, the literature on this subject mainly focuses on masonry wall behavior, and there is a knowledge gap about the behavior of masonry arches under high-strain loading. In this context, this research aims to investigate both quasistatic and impact response of a dry-joint stone masonry arch using the discrete element method. Rigid blocks with noncohesive joint models are adopted to simulate dry-joint assemblages. First, the employed modeling strategy is validated utilizing the available experimental findings, and then sensitivity analyses are performed for both static and impact loading, considering the effect of joint friction angle, contact stiffness, and damping parameters. The outcomes of this research strengthen the existing knowledge in the literature regarding the computational modeling of masonry structures that are subjected to usual and extreme loading conditions. The results highlight that applied discontinuum-based numerical models are more sensitive to stiffness parameters in high-strain loading than static analysis.