ABSTRACT
Beside the experimental research, a numerical simulation based on the Finite Element Method is performed, which is able to catch the main non linear features of the mechanical behaviour such as fracture nucleation, fracture propagation and time dependency. The most damaged pillar has been modelled in details, providing an accurate description of the blocks interaction by means of discrete interface elements. The main goal is to link the dissipated energy, acquired from the acoustic emissions (AE), and the fracture localization with the results obtained numerically (Carpinteri et al. 2008). From the numerical model, it is possible to observe that cracks develop due to the seismic load, according to the experimental evidence from the AE acquisition.
