• Uncategorized
  • Structural behaviour of masonry spandrels of URM buildings subjected to horizontal loading: experimental analysis

    The mechanical behaviour of spandrels has a very significant influence on the seismic capacity of URM multi-storey buildings, which are very common in the historical Italian towns. In this paper the seismic behaviour of masonry spandrels is investigated, in case of a horizontal tensile-resistant element exists at floor level. At this aim experimental tests have been performed on reduced scale (1:10) models of spandrels, made of both tuff masonry and homogeneous material. The specimens have been built using different arrangements of masonry, corresponding to different construction techniques adopted during the time (from XVII up to XX century). The experimental equipment has been purposely designed in order to appropriately reproduce the structural behaviour of spandrels when masonry wall is subjected to horizontal forces acting in their own plane. The observed failure mechanisms and the corresponding M-c curves are reported for all the adopted slenderness ratio and masonry arrangements. Furthermore, in order to evaluate the cyclical performance of this kind of masonry panels, the results of cyclic tests have been analyzed in detail in terms of maximum strength, stiffness at reloading and energy dissipation.

    For this paper is available an extended abstract after the text in Italian

  • Uncategorized
  • Il ruolo della fascia di piano nel comportamento sismico degli edifici in muratura

    This paper deals with the role of the spandlers in the seismic behaviour of the masonry building. Particularly the seismic performance of masonry walls in their own plane have been analyzed by mean of non-linear static analyses performed on schemes of equivalent frames. Different geometrical and structural configurations of the spandlers have been considered and the corresponding capacities in coupling the piers have been deepen too. Both beams and columns have been modeled considering lumped plasticity at the ends of the elements. The results obtained confirmed the very strategic role of the spandlers in the seismic capacity of the masonry building

    This paper is available in Italian only