Impact of Earthquake Action on the Design and Sizing of Jointed Masonry Structures in South Kivu, DRC

This article deals with the investigation of the effects of seismic impacts on the design and dimensioning of structures in South Kivu. The starting point is the observation of an ambivalence that can be observed in the province, namely the non-consideration of seismic action in the study of structures by both professionals and researchers. The main objective of the study is to show the importance of dynamic analysis of structures in South Kivu. It adopts a meta-analytical approach referring to previous researches on South Kivu and proposes an efficient and optimal method. To arrive at the results, we use Eurocode 7 and 8. In addition, we conducted static analysis using the Coulomb method and dynamic analysis using the Mononobe-Okabe method and compared the results. At Nyabibwe, the results showed that we have a deviation of 24.47% for slip stability, 12.038% for overturning stability and 9.677% for stability against punching through a weight wall.

Influence of Choice of Structural System &In-Fill Masonry on the Embodied Energy &Cost of a Low-Rise Residential Urban-Building Indian Case Study

In the urban residential building stock, a major proportion is constituted by low-rise individual buildings. In addition to cost, quality and duration, energy consumed for the project needs to be accounted in the decision making process. Minimizing the cost of construction without compromising on the architectural and structural requirements is the primary objective of the residential buildings of stake-holders, especially the owners. The choice of structural system and the materials used for construction play a crucial role in this effort. This means that the use of expensive and/or voluminous materials such as cement, steel, masonry etc. is optimized. This could lead to significant reduction in embodied energy as well, if the choice of the structural system is prudently made. In this paper, an attempt has been made to quantify the cost and embodied energy benefits for a low-rise residential building by choosing two different structural systems, namely moment resisting framed (MRF) construction system and the partly load-bearing (PLB) system. The influence of choice of materials, contributing to reduction of cost and/or energy is discussed. It is clearly noticed that, when the structural system is re-configured as a PLB system from the existing MRF system there is significant reduction in cost and embodied energy without changing the architectural form.

FUZZY MATHEMATICAL EVALUATION FOR MASONRY STRUCTURE BUILDINGS' DAMAGE GRADE CAUSED BY COAL MINING

Coal mining under buildings certainly causes surface movement and deformation, therefore, it brings about deformation even fracture for buildings. It is an important task to evaluate correcly the buildings’ damage grabe caused by coal mining. Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation,considering some factors of buildings’ fracture, has been applied to analyze the masonry structure buildings’ damage grade affer coal mining in this paper. It provides a scientific basis for buildings’reidercement before mining and maintenance or compensation after mining.

Ancient Materials and Substitution Materials Used in Thai Historical Masonry Structure Preservation

The historical structures of Thailand are some of the most fascinating ancient sites in Asia.Their architectures reveal past cultures,traditions,knowledge,and expertise.Masonry materials are the major materials used to construct the historical structures in Thailand.One of the essential problem of Thai historical structure preservation is a shortage of engineering properties data for the structural stability assessment.Moreover,the in-depth engineering properties and the suitable substitution materials for Thai historical preservation are rarely found.Therefore,the engineering properties of the ancient masonry materials have to be explored together with the development of suitable substitute materials.This paper presents the physical and engineering properties of ancient materials and substitution materials for the preservation of Thailand’s historical structures.The ancient materials,including brick and mortar,are collected from historical places in the Bangkok and Ayutthaya Provinces.The physical and engineering properties of the masonry materials,such as the chemical composition,mineralogical composition,density,porosity,absorption,water vapor transmission,compressive strength,and modulus of elasticity,were evaluated in the laboratory.Fly ash was used as a pozzolanic material to partially replace the slaked lime to restore the historical mortar.The binder to sand ratio was controlled at 1:3 by weight.The slaked lime was substituted by fly ash at the rates of 10–30%by weight of binder.The engineering properties of the substitution mortars were also evaluated and compared with the ancient masonry materials.A masonry prism was also constructed to evaluate the compressive strength and the modulus of elasticity of the masonry structures.The physical and engineering properties of the ancient masonry materials obtained in this study can be included in a database for the preservation of Thailand’s historical masonry structures.The use of fly ash to partially replace the slaked lime could decrease the setting time and increase the compressive strength of historical repair mortar.The empirical equation obtained from this study could be used to predict the compressive strength of the masonry prisms of Thailand’s historical structures.

Illustrations of verification for seismic properties of masonry structures in primary and secondary school buildings

After Wenchuan earthquake,Code for verification of Seismic Protection of Building is revised and the seismic verification for the buildings of primary and secondary schools is upgraded from Class C to Class B. With this background,nearly one hundred buildings of primary and secondary schools in Jilin Province have been reevaluated by the earthquake-resistant standards and a set of simplified earthquake-resistant evaluation methods based on relevant technical standards and regulations were summarized and presented here. These methods can serve as an important reference for future earthquake-resistant evaluation for primary and secondary school buildings as well as a convenient guide for the relevant construction and modification works.

Seismic damage to structures in the Ms6.5 Ludian earthquake

On 3 August 2014, the Ludian earthquake struck northwest Yunnan Province with a surface wave magnitude of 6.5. This moderate earthquake unexpectedly caused high fatalities and great economic loss. Four strong motion stations were located in the areas with intensity V, VI, VII and IX, near the epicentre. The characteristics of the ground motion are discussed herein, including 1） ground motion was strong at a period of less than 1.4 s, which covered the natural vibration period of a large number of structures; and 2） the release energy was concentrated geographically. Based on materials collected during emergency building inspections, the damage patterns of adobe, masonry, timber frame and reinforced concrete （RC） frame structures in areas with different intensities are summarised. Earthquake damage matrices of local buildings are also given for fragility evaluation and earthquake damage prediction. It is found that the collapse ratios of RC frame and confined masonry structures based on the new design code are significantly lower than non-seismic buildings. However, the RC frame structures still failed to achieve the ＇strong column, weak beam＇ design target. Traditional timber frame structures with a light infill wall showed good aseismic performance.

Stability of roof structure and its control in steeply inclined coal seams

To improve the effectiveness of control of surrounding rock and the stability of supports on longwall topcoal caving faces in steeply inclined coal seams, the stability of the roof structure and hydraulic supports was studied with physical simulation and theoretical analysis. The results show that roof strata in the vicinity of the tail gate subside extensively with small cutting height, while roof subsidence near the main gate is relatively assuasive. With increase of the mining space, the caving angle of the roof strata above the main gate increases. The characteristics of the vertical and horizontal displacement of the roof strata demonstrate that caved blocks rotate around the lower hinged point of the roof structure, which may lead to sliding instability. Large dip angle of the coal seam makes sliding instability of the roof structure easier.A three-hinged arch can be easily formed above both the tail and main gates in steeply inclined coal seams. With the growth in the dip angle, subsidence of the arch foot formed above the main gate decreases significantly, which reduces the probability of the roof structure becoming unstable as a result of large deformation, while the potential of the roof structure's sliding instability above the tail gate increases dramatically.

Experimental Analysis of Mechanical Behavior of Lintels with Murfor Reinforcement in Structural Masonry

The main goal of this study is analysis the mechanical behavior, failure mode and deflections of masonry beams lintels when subjected to concentrated loading. Walls were built using hollow clay blocks, using horizontal reinforcement on bed joint, and using of Murfor steel reinforcement. The conclusions of this work was： at middle of span, the load and displacement results present a linear behavior until failure; there two regions of failure, the region ＂A＂ presents the association of crushing and the region ＂B＂ shows the shear stress between block and mortar; the visual analysis of experimental tests shows the lost of adhesion between the mortar joint and blocks. It was not observed cracks on the mid-span produced by bending; it is possible to detach that the use of plane truss in Brazil as technological alternative is feasible and makes the masonry walls execution more rational, increasing the velocity of production.

Strengthening and Restoration of Historical Structures Mirahor Ilyas Beg Mosque in Korca

The Mirahor Ilyas Beg Mosque, built in 1496 in Korea, is one of a few Ottoman mosques still existing in Albania and the only Ottoman monument in the city. The mosque was built using cut stone and brick. It has a strong image a cubic mass rising over a square plan. Inside there are found pictures of the mosque in the past and different famous mosques. During its existence, it was damaged from many earthquakes occurring at this area. Due to amortization, the mosque＇s structural properties were weakened and architectural values were dimmed. Proper strengthening methods need to be applied, not only to improve structural conditions, but also to preserve architectural features of the mosque. In this paper assessment of existing conditions of the structure is carried out Based on the obtained results, solutions for the structural problems are investigated. As for restoration, the repair methods to be applied were examined taking into consideration at what extent the historical values of the building will be preserved. The proposed strengthening methods are the ones which would affect the least the mosque＇s historical values.

Structural Response of Unreinforced Masonry Walls

Historical buildings located in seismic regions have URM （unreinforced masonry） walls of considerable width as their main structure. In order to study the structural response of such type of masonry, it is necessary to know its mechanical and elastic characteristics. For such purpose, it is generally necessary to perform destructive and non-destructive tests. Other procedures, such as the study of masonry through numerical models, would make it possible to predict, with close approximation, the response of masonry to different actions. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the behavior of URM walls subjected to axial and horizontal load by using a finite element model with the Abaqus code. Constitutive laws of materials, bricks and mortar are defined, using two constitutive models of plasticity and damage included in the materials library. The constitutive models used employ information of experimental tests performed on bricks and mortar. The results of an analysis for an URM wall subjected to axial and horizontal load are presented. Responses of walls were obtained in terms of load versus displacement for different constitutive models and for different qualities of bricks and mortar. The two constitutive models used show similar results, particularly in the response waveforms. However, the ultimate capacity values show mean variations of around 30%. The two constitutive models display high dependence upon the mechanical characteristics of bricks and mortar.

Influence of Vertical Irregularity on the Seismic Behavior of Base Isolated RC Structures with Lead Rubber Bearings under Pulse-Like Earthquakes

Nowadays,an extensive number of studies related to the performance of base isolation systems implemented in regular reinforced concrete structures subjected to various types of earthquakes can be found in the literature.On the other hand,investigations regarding the irregular base-isolated reinforced concrete structures’performance when subjected to pulse-like earthquakes are very scarce.The severity of pulse-like earthquakes emerges from their ability to destabilize the base-isolated structure by remarkably increasing the displacement demands.Thus,this study is intended to investigate the effects of pulse-like earthquake characteristics on the behavior of low-rise irregular base-isolated reinforced concrete structures.Within the study scope,investigations related to the impact of the pulse-like earthquake characteristics,irregularity type,and isolator properties will be conducted.To do so,different values of damping ratios of the base isolation system were selected to investigate the efficiency of the lead rubber-bearing isolator.In general,the outcomes of the study have shown the significance of vertical irregularity on the performance of base-isolated structures and the considerable effect of pulse-like ground motions on the buildings’behavior.

Behaviors of Rural Structures during Destructive Earthquakes

This article deals with the results of the research on the behaviors of the rural buildings made up of local materials during earthquakes. This article reveals the mechanical properties of masonry detected based on experimental research results on wall samples made of local materials such as mud bricks, clay and straw mixture, rubble stones and limestones cut in standard sizes. In addition, the constructive measures prepared for the earthquake resistance of rural structures and the application techniques of these buildings in common construction are also generalized in this article.

Shaking table tests and dynamic analyses of masonry wall buildings with frame-shear walls at lower stories

This paper describes shaking table tests of three eight-story building models： all are masonry structures in the upper stories, with or without frame-shear walls of one- or two- stories at the bottom. The test results of damage characteristics and seismic responses are provided and compared. Then, nonlinear response analyses are conducted to examine the reliability of the dynamic analysis. Finally, many nonlinear response analyses are performed and it is concluded that for relatively hard sites under a certain lateral stiffness ratio （i.e., the ratio of the stiffness of the lowest upper masonry story to that of the frame- shear wall story）, the masonry structure with one-story frame-shear wall at the bottom performs better than a structure built entirely of masonry, and a masonry structure with frame-shear wall of two stories performs better than with one-story frame- shear wall. In relatively soft soil conditions, all three structures have similar performane. In addition, some suggestions that could be helpful for design of masonry structures with ground story of frame-shear wall structure in seismic intensity region VII, such as the appropriate lateral stiffness ratio, shear force increase factor of the frame-shear wall story, and permissible maximum height of the building, are proposed.

Numerical Derivation of Strain Rate Effects on Material Properties of Masonry with Solid Clay Bricks

In this paper, numerical method is used als. A typical unit of masonry is selected to serve merical model of RVE is established with detailed to study the strain rate effect on masonry materias a representative volume element （RVE）. Nudistinctive modeling of brick and mortar with their respective dynamic material properties obtained from laboratory tests. The behavior of brick and mortar are characterized by a dynamic damage model that accounts for rate-sensitive and pressuredependent properties of masonry materials. Dynamic loads of different loading rates are applied to RVE. The equivalent homogenized uniaxial compressive strength, threshold strain and elastic modulus in three directions of the masonry are derived from the simulated responses of the RVE. The strain rate effect on the masonry material with clay brick and mortar, such as the dynamic increase factor （DIF） of the ultimate strength and elastic modulus as a function of strain rate are derived from the numerical results.

A 3-D DDA damage analysis of brick masonry buildings under the impact of boulders in mountainous areas

In mountainous areas, geological disasters carrying large boulders can cause severe damage to the widely used masonry buildings due to the high impact forces. To better understand the damage of brick masonry buildings under the impact of boulders, a "block-joint" model is developed using threedimensional discontinuous deformation analysis(3-D DDA) to simulate the behaviour of the "brick-mortar" structure. The "block-joint" model is used to capture not only the large displacement and deformation of individual bricks but also the large-scale sliding and opening along the mortar between the bricks. The linear elastic constitutive model is applied to account for the non-plastic deformation behaviour of brick materials. Furthermore, the mechanical characteristics of the mortar are represented using the Mohr-Coulomb and Drucker-Prager criteria. To propose safe structural design schemes and effective reinforcement for brick masonry buildings, seven construction techniques are considered, includingdifferent grades of brick and mortar, effective shear areas and reinforced members. The proposed 3-D DDA model is used to analyse the velocity distribution and the key point displacements of the brick masonry building under the impact of boulders. The results show that upgrading the brick and mortar, increasing the wall thickness, making full use of the wall thickness, and adding a circular beam and structural column are very effective approaches for improving the impact resistance of brick masonry buildings.

Performance of masonry enclosure walls:lessons learned from recent earthquakes

This paper discusses the issue of performance requirements and construction criteria for masonry enclosure and infill walls. Vertical building enclosures in European countries are very often constituted by non-load-bearing masonry walls, using horizontally perforated clay bricks. These walls are generally supported and confined by a reinforced concrete frame structure of columns and beams/slabs. Since these walls are commonly considered to be nonstructural elements and their influence on the structural response is ignored, their consideration in the design of structures as well as their connection to the adjacent structural elements is frequently negligent or insufficiently detailed. As a consequence, nonstructural elements, as for wall enclosures, are relatively sensitive to drift and acceleration demands when buildings are subjected to seismic actions. Many international standards and technical documents stress the need for design acceptability criteria for nonstructural elements, however they do not specifically indicate how to prevent collapse and severe cracking, and how to enhance the overall stability in the case of moderate to high seismic loading. Furthermore, a review of appropriate measures to improve enclosure wall performance and both in-plane and out-of-plane integrity under seismic actions is addressed.

Seismic collapse simulation of existing masonry buildings with different retrofitting techniques

Masonry buildings are primarily constructed out of bricks and mortar which become discrete pieces and cannot sustain horizontal forces created by a strong earthquake.The collapse of masonry walls may cause significant human casualties and economic losses.To maintain their integrity,several methods have been developed to retrofit existing masonry buildings,such as the constructional RC frame which has been extensively used in China.In this study,a new method using precast steel reinforced concrete(PSRC)panels is developed.To demonstrate its effectiveness,numerical studies are conducted to investigate and compare the collapse behavior of a structure without retrofitting,retrofitted with a constructional RC frame,and retrofitted with external PSRC walls(PSRCW).Sophisticated finite element models(FEM)were developed and nonlinear time history analyses were carried out.The results show that the existing masonry building is severely damaged under occasional earthquakes,and totally collapsed under rare earthquakes.Both retrofitting techniques improve the seismic performance of existing masonry buildings.However,it is found that several occasional earthquakes caused collapse or partial collapse of the building retrofitted with the constructional RC frame,while the one retrofitted by the proposed PSRC wall system survives even under rare earthquakes.The effectiveness of the proposed retrofitting method on existing masonry buildings is thus fully demonstrated.

Experimental study on the seismic performance of masonry wall reinforced by cement mortar and polypropylene band

Since masonry structures are prone to collapse in earthquakes,a novel joint reinforcement method with a polypropylene band(PP-band)and cement mortar(CM)has been put forward.Compared with the common reinforcement methods,this method not only facilitates construction but also ensures lower reinforcement cost.To systematically explore the influence of joint reinforcement on the seismic performance of masonry walls,quasi-static tests were carried out on six specimens with different reinforcement forms.The test results show that the joint action of PP-band and CM can significantly improve the specimen′s brittle failure characteristics and enhance the integrity of the specimen after cracking.Compared with the specimen without reinforcement,each of the seismic performance indexes of the joint reinforced specimen had obvious improvement.The maximum increased rate about peak load and ductility of the joint reinforced specimen is 100.6%and 233.4%,respectively.

Dry Stone Masonry Ductility During an Earthquake

Stone structures with dry joints, that is, without mortar, have shown a surprising behavior when earthquakes occur. An example of this behavior is the perennially of the so-called Inca wall in Peru, which despite having suffered several earthquakes over time has remained stable without collapsing. This article presents the research carried out on stone masonry wails with dry joint, without mortar, subject to a seismic action. In order to understand the behavior of the masonry without mortar, it designs a Grid mode/ of Finite Elements. From the results, it is concluded that these walls with a certain thickness have ductility that allows them to withstand high displacement and rotation values, thus accommodating the movement of the earth subject to an earthquake. The individual stone blocks move relative to each other through rotations and displacements, which are processed in the free joints of any mortar. The joints work as energy sinks. The free movements in the joints dissipate the energy transmitted by the earthquake, not causing in this way the rupture of the stone blocks. The goal of this article is to understand the p importance of lack of mortar in the seismic behavior of the mansonry.

Damage of Historical Stone Masonry Buildings： Combined Effects of Spatial Variability of Stone Properties and Environmental Conditions

The everyday fluctuations of temperature and humidity lead to fluctuation of stress on the stones constituting many constructions and produce in long term some kinds of fatigue damage. This paper investigates the combined role of stone properties variability and environmental conditions on the generation and the amplification of stress variation and fatigue. Thus, the randomness and spatial variability 0fthe mechanical, thermal and hydraulic properties are taken into account in a finite elements model of typical stone wall masonry of Chambord Castle. The quantification of the impact of this spatial variability on the variability of generated stress is performed.