Structural behaviour of wood-geopolymer cement masonry prisms

This paper presents an experimental and numerical investigation into the structural behaviour of prisms made of Wood-Geopolymer cement Masonry Units (WGMU), a sustainable alternative to Conventional Masonry Units (CMU). Eighteen WGMU prisms and six CMU prisms were constructed and subjected to uniaxial compression testing to evaluate their load-bearing capacity, failure mechanisms, and overall performance. The study varied the wood content and types of mortar to assess their effects on the structural behaviour of the prisms. Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations were also conducted to analyse stress distribution, deformation patterns, and potential failure modes. Results indicated that increasing wood content led to a decrease in the compressive strength of the WGMU prisms, primarily due to the lower strength and higher porosity of the wood shavings. However, despite this reduction, WGMU prisms demonstrated unique deformation behaviours, exhibiting superior toughness compared to CMUs. This study suggests that WGMUs represent a promising alternative to conventional masonry, offering enhanced toughness and energy absorption.