A direct discrete formulation suitable for the nonlinear analysis of masonry structures is presented. The numerical approach requires a pair of dual meshes, one for describing displacement fields, one for imposing equilibrium. Forces and displacements are directly used (instead of having to resort to a model derived from a set of differential equations). Associated and nonassociated flow laws are dealt with within a complementarity framework. The main features of the method and of the relevant computer code are discussed. Numerical examples are presented, showing that the numerical approach is able to describe plastic strains, damage effects and crack patterns in masonry structures.