Seismic Behavior of Masonry Walls: Experimental Simulation

The influence of four different lateral displacement patterns used for experimental simulation of seismic behavior of masonry walls has been studied. Thirty-two equal reinforced-masonry walls have been tested by imposing monotonically increasing displacements; cyclic lateral displacements with amplitudes, stepwise increasing in predefined blocks of two different shapes and repeated three times at each amplitude peak; and simulated displacement seismic response. By imposing the same displacement pattern dynamically, higher values of lateral resistance and more rigid initial behavior of the walls has been obtained than statically. Higher resistance and larger ultimate displacements have been obtained by monotonic than by cyclic loading procedures of all types. At a higher level of vertical load, lateral resistance of the wall was improved, but deformability and ductility decreased at both, static, and dynamic types of loading at all load patterns.