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Refractory masonry with dry joints is widely used in the steel-making industry for the linings of several high-temperature components (>1500 ∘ C) including steel ladles and furnaces. To properly optimize the design and performance of these linings, thorough numerical models that consider the presence of joints, joints closure and reopening and the nonlinear elastic-viscoplastic behaviour (creep and stress relaxation) of refractories at high temperature are required. The present study reports on the formulation, numerical implementation, and application of a homogenized multi-scale elastic-viscoplastic model for the simulation of refractory masonry linings with dry joints. Refractory bricks are considered to exhibit linear elasticity as well as rate-dependent plasticity. Four joint patterns are predefined based on the state of bed and head joints. The homogenized elastic-viscoplastic behaviour of each joint pattern is determined using finite element based nonlinear homogenization approach. The transition criteria between the four patterns are defined in terms of macroscopic stresses and strains. Verification of the developed homogenized constitutive laws is carried out by comparing the numerical results of the detailed micro models (brick and joints are considered) with the homogeneous equivalent material models. Furthermore, comparisons with experimental results of refractory masonry walls subjected to biaxial compression load at room and high temperature are carried out. Good agreements between the experimental and numerical results are obtained. Then, the validated models are employed to predict the mechanical behavior of refractory masonry structures subjected to different loading conditions. The present numerical model is able to simulate the orthotropic, compressible, rate-dependent homogenized behaviour of mortarless refractory masonry structures, and accounts for joints closure and reopening due to loading and unloading.

The interface between bricks and mortar is often the weakest part of masonry structures. For refractory linings, the interface strength must be measured at high temperature. Adapted slant shear tests and a new dedicated tensile test set up are proposed here for this purpose. To test the ability of the proposed method, it was applied on two representative brick/mortar couples from room temperature up to 1450 °C. Slant shear tests were conducted to measure ultimate compression and shear stresses and to identify temperature dependent parameters of the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion. Tensile tests were performed to identify the tensile cut-off. Depending on the brick/mortar couples, the failure can appear at the interface or in the mortar. Cohesion and tensile strength decrease sharply over 900 °C.

International audience

International audience; Mortarless refractory masonry is widely used in the steel industry for the linings of high-temperature components such as steel ladles and furnaces. Successful design of these large-sized structures requires a proper understanding of the interaction between material discontinuity introduced by the presence of mortarless joints, joints closure and reopening due to loading/unloading, and their effect on the thermomechanical response of the structure. In the present study, 3D thermomechanical models have been developed to analyze the effects of joints reopening on the thermomechanical behavior of mortarless masonry walls. Four joint patterns, with their corresponding equivalent elastic properties, have been defined based on the state of head and bed joints (open or closed). The effective elastic properties of each joint pattern have been calculated with the help of the finite element method and the strain energy-based homogenization technique. The joints reopening and closure criteria have been defined as a function of macroscopic stresses and strains. The developed material model has been implemented in a commercial finite element software and then used to analyze the thermomechanical behavior of refractory masonry walls. The numerical model has been validated by comparing the numerical results with experimental data (biaxial compression test of a flat wall). Both results are in good agreement.

This paper provides finite elements predictions for the effective tangent properties of microcracked viscoelastic masonry. This model relies on two steps. The first one is based on the identification at the short and long terms of an approximate analytical creep function for the mortar. Following (Nguyen et al., 2011) for a microcracked homogeneous material, this step rests on the coupling between the Griffith’s brittle fracture theory and stress-based dilute homogenization scheme. It allows to avoid recourse to ‘heavy’ numerical inversion of the Laplace–Carson transform. The second step provides orthotropic overall properties of masonry by means of finite elements method used to carry out periodic homogenization on masonry. This step relies on the calculation of the localization strain tensors in each phase (brick and mortar). This paper proposes an alternative model to an incremental homogenization of masonry which is heavier to carry out since it depends on additional parameters such as time increment and prestresses in viscoelastic phases added to the crucial computation step of strain localization tensors in each phase. In this work, for the sake of simplicity and as a first approach, only time-dependent crack densities (Shrive et al., 1997; Reda Taha and Shrive, 2006) are considered at short and long-terms. Results provided by the proposed finite elements model can be considered as reference solution enabling a rigorous assessment of recently analytical model proposed by Nguyen et al. (2014) and Rekik et al. (2016) as a generalization of the Cecchi & Taliercio model (Cecchi and Taliercio, 2013) initially available for uncracked masonries. This comparison is carried out for different mortar thicknesses and brick’s dimensions. The case of a compressed wall is also considered at the long term.

International audience; It is a common practice to design refractory linings with the help of thermal computations, thermochemistry analyses and strong workman know-how. Their mechanical design is often limited to simple thermo-elastic computations. Sometimes computations are refined considering non-linear mechanical behaviour, even if corrosion often induces additional chemical strain and strong change in service of the mechanical behaviour of the refractory. The aim of this presentation is to briefly recast the irreversible thermodynamic framework in order to underline the implications of some basic thermodynamic concepts in term of refractory behaviour modelling. Then, the use of these concepts to develop fully 3D finite element simulations accounting simultaneously for thermal, mechanical and chemistry phenomena will be illustrated on the particular case of SiC-based refractory. Comparison between long duration oxidation test at high temperature and model prediction allows the validation of the proposed approach. Then, an extension to the industrial case of refractory lining in Waste to Energy plant will be illustrated. The interest of taking into account the thermo-chemo-mechanical coupling effects is shown.

International audience; In refractory masonry lining of industrial furnaces the compressibility of mortars is critical for the thermo-mechanical integrity of the structure.Compressive stress-strain behaviour of refractory mortars has been measured during drying at room temperature and in the service temperaturerange of 300-1400◦C. The results have been explained using fractographic analysis and distinct element method computer modelling. The mortarfailure has been shown to occur due to formation of shear bands of micro-cracks. The propagation of cracks preferably follows the shortest pathbetween larger pores and is influenced by grain cohesion and interlocking. Tests with mortars featuring calcium aluminate cement, mono aluminiumphosphate, water glass and bentonite clay binders have indicated that besides increasing the cohesion between the grains the binder reduces theinternal friction that promotes higher compressibility. It has been found that the mortar with clay has the highest compressibility. The mortar withcement shows the most stable behaviour.

International audience; Silicon carbide-based refractory castables (SiC-RC) have high mechanical and chemical resistances at high temperature. Nevertheless when subjected to both high temperature and aggressive oxidizing environment, due to phase transformation, a chemical strain appears that leads to additional stresses in industrial parts and may cause degradation. In this paper, macroscopic constitutive equations are proposed to model the complex relationship between stress, strain, temperature and oxidizing atmosphere in porous SiC-RC. To model the kinetics of the chemical swelling, oxygen content in the porosity of the heterogeneous material is estimated. It depends on both the oxidation reaction of SiC-based grains and the diffusion of oxygen through the connected porosity in the castable. The macroscopic chemical strain associated to the local SiO2 formation takes only place when the local small voids cannot absorb the reaction product anymore. Besides, the reduction of porosity is accompanied by a reduction in the gas permeability and consequently a reduction in the diffusion of oxygen. The multi-physical model is implemented in the finite element code Abaqus . It accounts for heat transfer,reactive oxygen transport and chemically induced strain. A validation test was carried out on a cylindrical sample subjected to high temperature with a thermal gradient in ambient air. Comparison between experimental results, microscopic observations and numerical results showed that the model provides a good description of the main physical phenomena.

International audience; Many bottom linings of refractory structures used in steel making industry are made of masonries with or without mortar. Several designs are possible: parallel, fish bone or radial. To compare the influence of these designs on the level of stress and displacements in the steel shell, the different masonries were modelled by an equivalent homogeneous material. The thermo-mechanical properties of this equivalent material were determined using a periodic homogenization method. They are temperature depending and depend of the joint states (open or closed in the two directions) for masonries with mortarless joints. This masonry model is used to simulate by the finite element method the behaviour of a simplified steel ladle. It demonstrates the influence of different parameters: presence or not of joints, dry joints/mortar joints, thickness of mortar joints, masonry design. It brings a help for the design of refractory masonry linings.

International audience

This study presents a viscosity sensor that converts the vibration amplitude at the resonance frequency of a needle immersed in viscous fluid, into electric current. The goal of this work is to provide a dedicated numerical tool for the sensor design, that couples fluid, structure and magnetism.Copyright © 2012 by ASME

International audience; This paper is devoted to the modelling of a specific ramming mix mainly used in the high-temperature industry due to its high-compacting behaviour. This material has the ability to absorb the deformation of parts submitted to high thermal loads. Triaxial and instrumented die compaction tests were carried out in order to identify the shear and hardening behaviours, respectively. Tests on the ramming mix were led for a temperature range between 20 C and 80 C. The temperature effect is particularly observed on the material response when it is compacted. The main features of the behaviour of the ramming mix can be represented by the theoretical framework of the Modified Cam-Clay model. A single variable allows to accurately reproduce the hardening behaviour depending on the temperature. Moreover, an extension of the model for the hardening behaviour at high pressures is proposed. A good agreement between the experimental data and numerical tests is reached with this model.

In composite reinforcement shaping, textile preform undergo biaxial tensile deformation, in plane shear deformation, transverse compaction and out-of-plane bending deformations. Bending deformations have been neglected in some simulation codes up to now, but taking into account them would give more accurate simulations of forming especially for stiff and thick textiles. Bending behaviour is specific because the reinforcements are structural parts and out of plane properties cannot be directly deduced from in-plane properties, like for continuous material. Because the standard tests are not adapted for stiff reinforcements with non linear behaviour a new flexometer using optical measurements has been developed to test such reinforcements. This new device enables to carry out a set of cantilever tests with different histories of load. A series of tests has been performed to validate the test method and to show the capacities of the new flexometer to identify non linear non elastic behaviour.

National audience

In shaping of composite reinforcements, tensile stresses are the major stresses, while in plane shear strains are the major strains. However the knowledge of the bending behaviour would give more precisely simulation of forming especially for stiffer and thicker textiles. Two standard tests are used to determine it. The cantilever test is limited because of its elastic linear model. The KES fabric bending test allows a more complicated model but its use is difficult for stiff and thick reinforcements. A new cantilever test using optical measurement has been developed to provide the searched flexibility. Tests have been performed on a carbon woven reinforcement and compared with KES measurements. The results allow to validate the experimentation.

Le comportement mécanique des renforts tissés utilisés dans les composites est fortement influencé par l'assemblage par tissage des mèches chaîne et trame. La rigidité principale du tissé est celle de tension. Le comportement en tension est non-linéaire compte tenu des liaisons entre les deux réseaux qui conduisent à des non-linéarités géométriques locales. Ce comportement en tension est analysé dans le présent travail par des essais de traction biaxiale et des simulations 3D de la maille élémentaire. La rigidité de cisaillement dans le plan des renforts tissés est faible jusqu'à un angle limite. On montre par des mesures optiques que ceci correspond à une phase de rotation de corps rigide de chaque mèche. Une deuxième phase correspondant à un blocage et un écrasement latéral des mèches conduit à des rigidités beaucoup plus fortes. On présente deux formes simplifiées de l'équation de la dynamique ne prenant en compte que les travaux virtuels de tension d'une part et de tension cisaillement d'autre part. On montre sur un exemple de simulation d'emboutissage d'un renfort tissé que la prise en compte du cisaillement est importante si l'on dépasse un angle limite.

International audience; A finite element simulation of composite woven reinforcement forming requires the knowledge of the fabric mechanical behaviour. In the presented mesoscopic approach, the tensile and shear mechanical behaviour of the elementary cell (mesoscopic level) are used in a finite element made of woven meshes. The principal stiffness of the fabric is the tensile rigidity. Because of the weaving, the tensile behaviour is non-linear. It is analysed by biaxial tensile tests and 3D finite element computations of the woven unit cells. The in plane shear rigidity of fabrics is very weak up to a limit angle. In this first stage, it is shown by optical measures that the yarns are subjected to rigid rotations. A second stage in which the yarns are laterally crushed leads to larger stiffness. A first simplified form of the dynamic equation is based only on tensile internal virtual work. A second one takes also shear internal work into account. A fabric square box forming simulation is performed with both approaches. It shows the importance to account for shear when the limit shear angle is exceeded.

International audience; Expansion joints play an important role in refractory linings as they reduce stresses during heating. It is therefore necessary to take them into account in a mechanical analysis. In the case where the lining is a masonry construction (made up of bricks), it would require an excessive number of elements to model each brick and joint. The proposed solution is to replace the masonry with a material that has the same behaviour (or very near) as masonry. Since it is difficult to perform experimental tests on a set of bricks (to identify the parameters of the equivalent material), these loads were simulated on an elementary cell using a model developed at a local scale (scale of the components, bricks and joints). At this scale, the joints are represented as contacts (with normal and tangential behaviour). The parameters of a simplified equivalent material were obtained by an inverse identification. This model was validated by a thermomechanical test on a real structure.

International audience; The paper presents an approach to model the behaviour of a representative volume element (unit cell) of textile reinforcement in in-plane deformation (bi-axial tension and shear) and in compression. The model is a further development of a virtual textile concept implemented in the WiseTex software, and is based on the concept of hierarchical description of textile properties and systematic application of the principle of minimum energy to calculate the textile geometry in the relaxed and deformed state. With the internal geometry of the unit cell built, the model computes overall parameters of the deformed textile, such as fibre volume fraction, porosity etc. The internal geometry is visualised and such properties as pore structure in typical cross-sections are analysed. The load-deformation curves for compression, tension and shear are computed via the balance between change of the internal energy of the unit cell and mechanical work of the applied loads. The internal geometry description is further fed into flow modelling software, which allows computing local permeability of the deformed reinforcement, and micro-mechanical modelling to calculate homogenised local stiffness of the composite.

International audience; Refractory linings are used to protect the exterior metallic part of some vessels containing very hot fluids. They are submitted to high thermomechanical loading that can lead to cracking. A local approach is first presented in order to analyse the refractory lining as a 3D domain. A smeared crack model is used to compute the damage in the refractory. Comparison with experiments on a refractory wall containing metal parts is performed in order to validate the 3D numerical computations. Some type of refractorised vessels (e.g. some steel ladles) can directly be analysed from this 3D modelling. Since some other refractorised vessel contains a very large number of metallic parts (such as tubes or anchors), it cannot be possible to compute such a global structure with this 3D analysis. Consequently, an approach has been developed based on a two-layer shell equivalent to the lining including the metallic casing with tubes and the refractory. The thermal and mechanical parameters of the model are identified with an inverse method, using results of 3D calculations performed with the local model defined previously. An experimental validation is made by a bending test, performed on a large refractory lining specimen. In the case of a cyclone of coal-fired power plant, the equivalent shell permits to compute the damage of the refractory in the global structure.

International audience; Les structures réfractorisées peuvent présenter des dégradations en cours de fonctionnement. Afin de limiter ces dégradations en améliorant la conception, il est nécessaire de disposer d'outils de calcul (par éléments finis) adaptés. Pour des structures simples, telles que des poches à acier, un calcul 3D est réalisable. Par contre, pour des structures plus complexes, telles que des centrales à charbon, l'utilisation d'un élément simplifié est indispensable. Il s'agit ici d'un élément coque bi-couche dont le comportement est équivalent à celui de l'ensemble ossature métallique/garnissage réfractaire.

International audience; Simulation of the forming processes of thin composite structures is necessary at the design level in order to check the feasibility of the shape and to know the position of the reinforcements. A finite element analysis of fabric shaping process needs the knowledge of the mechanical behavior of the woven reinforcement. This behavior is non linear because of the shape variation of the weaving pattern when it is loaded. Experimental results are obtained from biaxial tests in the case of balanced and unbalanced fabric. A constitutive model consistent with the geometry of the woven pattern is proposed. It is based on experimental results achieved by biaxial tensile tests. 3D simulations of the unit woven cell submitted to biaxial tensions are also performed and compared to experiments.

For ceramic composites, continuum damage mechanics models are built, which include information coming from both the “micro” and “macro” scales. These models are constitutive relations which, when included in a structural analysis code, are able to predict the damage state of the studied structure at any time and at any point until final fracture.

To face coke and steel market requirements, the coking process has to be more flexible. Changing process parameters such as coking temperature, blend composition and cooking time can damaged coke oven battery heating wall. Indeed, the coking process generates a swelling pressure on wall which depends on a lot of parameters. To study this point, a European project named « Swelling PRessure In a coke oven, Transmission on oven walls and COnsequences on wall » has been set up. This work is a part of it and aims to determine the admissible pushing pressure for the coke oven heating walls to prevent crack formation. To model large masonries composed of numerous bricks, a mesoscopic point of view is more appropriate. Bricks and mortar are replaced by a Homogeneous Equivalent Material (HEM) whose behaviour depends on the joint state. In order to represent joint opening mechanism, a Mohr-Coulomb criterion in stress is used. This criterion compares the level of stress to the ultimate tensile or shear stress at mesoscopic scale. Ultimate stresses are obtained thanks to an experimental campaign using a new protocol developed at PRISME Laboratory. The brick-Mortar behaviour is experimentally characterised at high temperature (20°C to 1000°C). To validate the tensile test developed, a second experimental campaign using “wedge splitting tests” has been done at Leoben University. Results are similar and confirm the importance of the brick surface state. Depending on the initial damage of the structures, mesoscopic stresses are obtained by localization tensor or by sub-Modelling. The sub-Modelling step aims to simulate a local part of the masonry at the mesoscopic scale. This step aims to simulate with a mesoscopic point of view a local part of the global model. This numerical tool has been validated thanks to a literature test. Finally, the numerical tool has been used to characterise the influence of some parameters (thermal, force due to the cross tie rod,..). Next, the simulation of the whole coke oven heating wall has been performed (undamaged or initially damaged masonry). These FE simulations show the influence of initial damage on the final masonry damage. Finally, a two flues model with beams is proposed to take into account compression due to cross tie rod and to limit computational cost. It permits to obtain better results than the existing two flues model used at CPM with a lower cost compared to the whole coke oven heating wall model., Afin de répondre aux besoins du marché de l’acier, le procédé de cokéfaction du charbon doit s’adapter. Cependant, changer les paramètres de cokéfaction du charbon, tels que la température du four, le temps de cuisson ou la composition de la pâte à coke enfournée, peut générer un endommagement prématuré de la maçonnerie des fours. En effet, la transformation du charbon en coke s’accompagne d’une poussée sur les parois du four fortement dépendantes d’un grand nombre de paramètres. Afin d’anticiper ce problème, un projet européen nommé « Swelling PRessure In a coke oven, Transmission on oven walls and COnsequences on wall » a été mis en place. Cette thèse s’inscrit dans ce programme et vise à déterminer la poussée maximale pouvant être admise par un piédroit de cokerie lors de la pyrolyse du charbon. Pour modéliser ces structures composées de plusieurs centaines de milliers de briques, le point de vue macroscopique est le plus approprié. La maçonnerie est remplacée par un matériau homogène équivalent dont le comportement varie en fonction de l’état d’endommagement de la maçonnerie, ramené localement à un état d’ouverture des joints de mortier. Afin de détecter ces ouvertures, un critère de type Mohr-Coulomb en contraintes est utilisé. Il repose sur la comparaison des limites à rupture d’un sandwich brique-Mortier déterminé expérimentalement à haute température avec les contraintes mésoscopiques issues de la simulation. Un protocole expérimental novateur a été développé pour caractériser la tenue en traction du sandwich brique / mortier / brique jusqu’à 1000°C. Les limites à rupture issues de cet essai de traction directe ont été comparées à celles obtenues par des essais de fendage réalisés à l’université de Leoben. Les résultats sont concordants et confirment l’importance de l’état de surface avant maçonnage. Selon l’état d’endommagement considéré, les contraintes mésoscopiques sont obtenues grâce à un tenseur de localisation ou grâce à une sous-Structuration. Cette étape de sous-Structuration consiste à simuler localement une cellule à l’échelle mésoscopique en lui appliquant le champ de déplacement macroscopique obtenu grâce à la simulation. L’outil numérique a été validé par confrontation avec un cas test de référence. Pour finir, l’outil numérique développé a été utilisé pour caractériser l’influence de différents paramètres tels que la prise en compte de la thermique, la mise en compression de la structure…. Enfin, la simulation de cuissons sur des piédroits complets (sains ou initialement endommagés) a été réalisée. L’importance de l’endommagement initial est clairement soulignée par les résultats. Enfin, un nouveau modèle, appelé « deux carneaux avec poutres», est proposé pour réduire le coût de calcul. Plus complet que le modèle « deux carneaux » utilisé au CPM, il donne accès à de très bons résultats pour un coût nettement moindre que celui du piédroit complet avec homogénéisation et sous-Structuration.

The blast furnace hearth is mainly composed of refractory materials to support strong thermo-mechanical loads. Indeed, there is a direct contact between its internal walls and the molten pig iron at 1500°C. The objective of this thesis is to develop a thermo-mechanical model able to locate the sensitive areas and to estimate the stress fields. Carbon blocks, masonries (bricks and mortars) and a carbon ramming mix are the main constituents of the hearth. In order to identify their behaviours, characterization tests have been developed for temperatures up to 1500°C. A modified Cam-Clay model is proposed in order to reproduce the hardening behaviour of the ramming mix. The influences of temperature and pressure are taken into account. Experimental and numerical results are in good agreement. Masonries, submitted to high temperature gradients are highly stressed, which can lead to the opening of the mortar joints. The proposed masonry modelling is based on a micro-macro approach where bricks and mortars are replaced by an equivalent homogenous material for different joint states. The non-linearity of the behaviour is reproduced thanks to a stress criterion, allowing the transition from one state to another. Homogenized properties are obtained by periodic homogenization with an energetic approach. The modeling of a shear test available in the literature allows the validation of this model. The final modelling of a hearth is compared with in-situ instrumentation results. A good agreement is reached between these results., Le creuset est une structure majoritairement composée de matériaux réfractaires destinés à supporter de fortes sollicitations thermomécaniques, dues au contact direct de ses parois internes avec la fonte à 1500°C. L’objectif de cette thèse est de développer un modèle thermomécanique de creuset capable de localiser les zones sensibles de la structure et d’estimer les contraintes. Des blocs de carbone, des structures maçonnées (briques avec mortier) et un pisé carboné sont les principaux constituants du creuset. Afin d’identifier leur comportement, des essais de caractérisation ont été développés pour des températures atteignant les 1500°C. Un modèle de type Cam-Clay modifié est proposé pour modéliser le comportement compactant du pisé. L’influence de la température et des fortes pressions est prise en compte. Une bonne corrélation est obtenue entre les résultats expérimentaux et numériques. Les structures maçonnées, en contact direct avec la fonte, sont fortement sollicitées, ce qui peut conduire à l’ouverture des joints de mortier. La modélisation proposée pour ces structures est basée sur une approche micro-macro où les briques et le mortier sont remplacés par un matériau homogène équivalent, et ce pour différents états d’ouverture de joints. La non-linéarité du comportement est reproduite grâce à un critère d’ouverture en contrainte, qui permet le passage d’un état à un autre. Les propriétés homogénéisées sont obtenues par homogénéisation périodique en s’appuyant sur une approche énergétique. La modélisation d’un essai de la littérature permet la validation du modèle. La modélisation finale du creuset est confrontée aux résultats de l’instrumentation d’un creuset. Une bonne concordance entre ces résultats est obtenue.

This study lies within the framework of European project called Coke Oven Operating Limits. This thesis deals with the thermomechanical modelling of a coke oven heating wall. The heating wall is an alveolar masonry, heated thanks to gas at high temperature (superior to 1200°C). During coking time in coke ovens, there is a pyrolysis of coal to coke which implies a coke swelling pressure on chamber wall. The aim of this project is to determine the maximal lateral pressure allowed by these structures. In order to answer to this problem, a new thermomechanical model of heating wall was built. This work takes into account both non-linear masonry behaviour and interactions between the heating wall and its components. Structure modelling is based on a macroscopic approach where bricks and joints are replaced by a homogeneous equivalent medium for different joint states. The non-linearity behaviour is then reproduced thanks to a transition criterion which allows to go from one state to another one. Effective properties are determined with an energetic approach and an algorithm of inverse identification. Several numerical simulations were performed and compared with experimental tests extracted from literature to validate this approach. Material thermomechanical properties were identified experimentally, likewise masonry brick/mortar interface behaviour. Boundary conditions and loads were established from thermomechanical instrumentation of an in situ heating wall. Thermomechanical simulations of the heating wall allow to locate damages in good agreement with plants observations., Inscrite dans le cadre du projet européen Coke Oven Operating Limits, cette thèse porte sur la modélisation thermomécanique d'un piédroit de cokerie. Le piédroit est une maçonnerie alvéolaire, chauffée par des gaz à haute température (supérieure à 1200°C). Pendant la cuisson du charbon dans les fours à coke, celui-ci se pyrolyse en coke provoquant une poussée sur les panneresses du piédroit. Ce projet a pour objectif de déterminer la pression maximale supportée par ces structures. Afin de répondre à cette problématique, un nouveau modèle thermomécanique de piédroit a été développé. Ce travail prend en compte à la fois le comportement non-linéaire de la maçonnerie, mais également les interactions avec l'environnement extérieur. La modélisation de la structure maçonnée est basée sur une approche macroscopique où les briques et le mortier sont remplacés par un matériau homogène équivalent, et ce pour différents états de joints. La non-linéarité du comportement est reproduite grâce à un critère d'ouverture qui permet de passer d'un état de joint à un autre. Les propriétés homogénéisées sont identifiées selon une approche énergétique couplée à un algorithme d'identification inverse. Plusieurs simulations numériques d’essais issus de la littérature ont permis de valider cette approche. Les paramètres régissant le comportement mécanique et thermique des matériaux sont déterminés expérimentalement ainsi que la tenue de l'interface brique/mortier. Les conditions aux limites du modèle sont établies à l'aide d'une instrumentation thermomécanique sur site industriel. Les simulations thermomécaniques du piédroit permettent de localiser des phénomènes de dégradation observés dans les faits.