Experimental characterisation of as-built and retrofitted timber-masonry connections under monotonic, cyclic and dynamic loading

In the province of Groningen (NL), where human-induced earthquakes take place due to gas extraction, a large part of the building stock is composed of brick masonry walls and timber diaphragms. In this framework, timber-masonry connections play a crucial role in the global seismic response of the buildings, but their properties and structural...

An analytical model describing the in-plane behaviour of timber diaphragms strengthened with plywood panels

Timber diaphragms in existing buildings are often too flexible in their plane, and can thus potentially cause out-of-plane collapses of walls during earthquakes. A very efficient retrofitting method to increase their in-plane stiffness and energy dissipation is the overlay of plywood panels. However, the usual characterization of the floors by...