In the research field of circular building design, design concepts for sustainable masonry are developed using both renewable materials and reusable bricks. In constructing a masonry wall, the majority of the effort and cost are associated with the laying of the bricks, particularly in the mortaring process. Upon deconstruction, the materials used are generally only reusable in exceptional cases. Dry-Stacked Masonry (DSM) offers an alternative that facilitates reuse: bricks are simply stacked with interlocking configurations, eliminating the need for mortar in the bed joints. This method significantly reduces the cost and workload required for wall assembly. However, the main advantage becomes evident during the dismantling process: the walls can be demounted by simply disassembling the individual bricks. In the case of a suitable or removable plaster layer, undamaged bricks can be reused in new constructions.

Compared to conventional unreinforced masonry walls (URM), DSM wall systems feature different geometric component shapes and interlocking configurations. To understand their structural behaviour, it is essential to study the impact of various design parameters (e.g., compressive strength of components, interlocking system, contact surface, nonlinear material behaviour). This is primarily achievable through the examination of experimentally validated nonlinear finite element models of DSM walls. In the present research project, not only the load-bearing capacity but also the deformation behaviour under horizontal dynamic loading within the plane of the wall and perpendicular to it will be investigated. The goal is also to optimize the interlocking configuration for horizontal load transfer