Impact of static and dynamic loads, and crack propagation on masonry structures

Abstract This study presents a comparative numerical investigation into the contrasting effects of static and dynamic loads on masonry structures. The methodology involves: (1) field measurements of ambient vibrations in Bambili, Cameroon to characterize the real-world dynamic excitation environment, and (2) finite-element modeling using representative material properties from building codes to simulate structural response. Finite-element models were developed in COMSOL Multiphysics to analyze static loading, dynamic response, and conceptual crack propagation patterns. The analysis reveals that for typical masonry properties, simulated dynamic excitations representative of measured traffic and construction vibrations produce stress concentrations (~ 16 MPa) approximately 180 times greater than equivalent static service-level stresses (0.09 MPa) at identical locations. This dramatic disparity demonstrates that conventional static analysis fundamentally underestimates structural vulnerability to common environmental dynamic loads. Furthermore, the overlap between the structure's computed fundamental frequency (~ 0.43 Hz) and the dominant frequency range of measured environmental excitations (0–0.5 Hz) suggests potential vulnerability, establishing fatigue-driven degradation as a probable failure mechanism distinct from static overload. The study highlights the critical need for, but does not fully implement, true experimental–numerical integration in masonry assessment.