ABSTRACT
In order to model later on the mechanical behaviour and the stability of ancient monuments submitted to seismic excitations, a basic study of the frictional properties of the contact between elements of masonry has been undertaken. Experimental data about the contact properties of smooth Dionysos marble joints are presented. Three main influences are investigated: the normal stress level, the shear velocity, and the cyclic degradation through cyclic tests at constant normal force. In part II (Numerical modeling) of this work (companion paper) a Perzyna type viscoplastic constitutive model for frictional interfaces is proposed.
