Challenges and Main Features on Quasi-static Cyclic Out-of-plane Tests of Full-scale Infill Masonry Walls
António Arêde1, André Furtado1, José Melo1, Hugo Rodrigues2, Humberto Varum1, Nuno Pinto1
1 CONSTRUCT-LESE, Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
aarede@fe.up.pt
afurtado@fe.up.pt
josemelo@fe.up.pt
hvarum@fe.up.pt
npinto@fe.up.pt
2 RISCO, School of Technology and Management, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, Portugal
hugo.f.rodrigues@ipleiria.pt
Abstract. It is widely consensual that further and deeper research is required on the out-of-plane seismic response of infill masonry (IM) walls in order to increase knowledge regarding this particular behaviour and to develop effective retrofit strategies for preventing panel collapse, increasing human life protection and reducing economic losses. This type of study is also important to support the development of accurate numerical models able to represent the expected response of IM walls subjected to out-of-plane loadings, combined or not with in-plane loadings. In this context, experimental testing is an excellent tool to allow studying IM walls cyclic behaviour subjected to static or dynamic cyclic loads addressing a few issues, such as: evaluation of the different in-plane damage levels, influence of geometric configuration, types of masonry bricks, etc. However, such experimental tests are difficult to perform since complex experimental set-ups are required with sufficient capacity for testing large or full-scale samples. In the Laboratory for Earthquake and Structural Engineering (LESE) of the University of Porto, a few experimental studies were carried out in order to characterize the out-of-plane performance of infill panels considering and ignoring previous in-plane damage. It was observed that the out-of-plane capacity of the IM walls was strongly reduced due to previous in-plane cyclic demands, leading to the conclusion that further experimental investigations, mainly of specimens representative of the country’s building stock, are of extreme importance.With this motivation and the knowledge acquired from experimental campaigns of the out-of-plane tests performed in full-scale stone masonry walls, an innovative testing set-up was developed in order to perform quasi-static out-of-plane tests of full-scale IM walls with airbags which was lately upgraded with pneumatic actuators. Further information regarding both tests setups will be described and discussed throughout the manuscript. Experimental results of two specimens tested with the both testing platforms will be presented highlighting the main differences and similarities.
Keywords: Infill masonry walls, experimental testing, full-scale, out-of-plane
