• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.409-436
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• 2014

Although it is widely accepted that the interaction -between masonry infill and structural members significantly affects the seismic response of reinforced concrete (RC) frames, this interaction is generally neglected in current design-oriented seismic analyses of structures. Moreover, the role of masonry infill is expected to be even more relevant in the case of existing frames designed only for gravitational loads, as infill walls can significantly modify both lateral strength and stiffness. However, the additional contribution to both strength and stiffness is often coupled to a modification of the global collapse mechanisms possibly resulting in brittle failure modes, generally related to irregular distributions of masonry walls throughout the frame. As a matter of principle, accurate modelling of masonry infill should be at least carried out by adopting nonlinear 2D elements. However, several practice-oriented proposals are currently available for modelling masonry infill through equivalent (nonlinear) strut elements. The present paper firstly outlines some of the well-established models currently available in the scientific literature for modelling infill panels in seismic analyses of RC frames. Then, a parametric analysis is carried out in order to demonstrate the consequences of considering such models in nonlinear static and dynamic analyses of existing RC structures. Two bay-frames with two-, three- and four-storeys are considered for performing nonlinear analyses aimed at investigating some critical aspects of modelling masonry infill and their effects on the structural response. Particularly, sensitivity analyses about specific parameters involved in the definition of the equivalent strut models, such as the constitutive force-displacement law of the panel, are proposed.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.321-335
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• 2020

The aim of the present contribution is to consider and underline the essential interactions among the historical knowledge, the seismic vulnerability assessment, the investigation experimental tools, the preservation of the architectural quality and the strengthening design in regard to architectural heritage conservation. These topics are argued in relation to Palazzo Murena in Perugia, designed in the eighteenth century by the famous Architect Luigi Vanvitelli, and currently headquarters of the city's University. Based on the surveys and the visual inspections, a preliminary a priori global analysis has been performed by means of the FME method. The obtained results permitted to plan an experimental tests campaign inclusive of structural health monitoring. The new achieved "knowledge" of the building allowed to refine the seismic safety assessment. In particular it was highlighted that the "mezzanine floor" can be a vulnerable element of the building with the collapse of its masonry walls. Preserving the architectural characteristics, a local reinforcement intervention is proposed for the above-mentioned level; this consists of the application of plaster with FRCM, assuring an adequate strength, without burden the masonry structure with additional weight, and therefore a decreasing of the seismic vulnerability. The necessity to consider, in this ongoing research, other local mechanisms is highlighted in the unfolding of the last part of work.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.37-44
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• 2023

In the case of a school building, even though it is a regular structure in terms of plan shape, if the masonry infill wall acts as a lateral load resisting element, it can be determined as a torsionally irregular building. As a result, the strength and ductility of the structure are reduced, which may cause additional earthquake damage to the structure. Therefore, in this study, a structure similar to a school building with torsional irregularity was selected as an example structure and the damping performance of the PC-BRB was analyzed by adjusting the eccentricity according to the amount of masonry infilled wall. As a result of nonlinear dynamic analysis after seismic reinforcement, the torsional irregularity of each floor was reduced compared to before reinforcement, and the beams and column members of the collapse level satisfied the performance level due to the reduction of shear force and the reinforcement of stiffness. The energy dissipation of PC-BRB was similar in the REC-10 ~ REC-20 analytical models with an eccentricity of 20% or less. REC-25 with an eccentricity of 25% was the largest, and it is judged that it is effective to combine and apply PC-BRB when it has an eccentricity of 25% or more to control the torsional behavior.