In-plane response of slender walls made of calcium silicate brick and element masonry

Due to the increase of induced seismic activities in the Groningen area (north part of the Netherlands), the assessment of low-rise residential buildings with slender façade piers became of relevance. In this framework, the in-plane response of slender walls made of calcium silicate (CS) brick and element masonry is investigated in this paper...

Experimental investigation of the in-plane cyclic behaviour of calcium silicate brick masonry walls

The material and structural performance of calcium silicate (CS) brick masonry has received relatively little attention in the past, although this material is often used for the construction of low-rise buildings in Central and Northern Europe. Upon the occurrence of induced seismicity in the north of the Netherlands, an extensive testing...

Seismic assessment of a lab-tested two-storey unreinforced masonry Dutch terraced house

The exploitation of geo-resources in the northern part of the Netherlands (Groningen region) is triggering shallow earthquakes, rising the need of assessing the current building stock. Being the region not prone to tectonic earthquakes, buildings are designed as wind-resistant systems and have specific characteristics that can limit their...

Influence of the behaviour of calcium silicate brick and element masonry on the lateral capacity of structures

In recent years induced seismicity in the Netherlands considerably increased. This phenomenon has a wide impact on the built environment, which is mainly composed by unreinforced masonry (URM) structures. These buildings were not designed for seismic loading, and present peculiar characteristics include very slender walls (100 mm thickness and 2...

A multiscale experimental characterisation of Dutch unreinforced masonry buildings

In recent years, induced seismicity in the north of the Netherlands significantly increased. As a consequence, the seismic assessment of the built environment, which mainly consists of unreinforced masonry (URM) structures not designed for seismic loads, became of high relevance. Within this context, an extensive multiscale testing program has...

Quasi-static cyclic in-plane tests on masonry components 2016/2017

Quasi-static cyclic out-of-plane tests on masonry components 2016/2017

Large-scale testing program for the seismic characterization of Dutch masonry walls.

The evaluation of the seismic response of unreinforced masonry buildings is a popular topic all over the world. In recent years, also the Netherlands started to face seismic risk, since the induced seismicity in the north of the country considerably increased (the gas extraction started in 1963, and earthquakes have occurred since the early ‘90s...

Structural behaviour of a calcium silicate element masonry assemblage: Quasi-static cyclic pushover test

Cyclic pushover test on an unreinforced masonry structure reseambling a typical Dutch terraced house

During the last years, induced seismicity in the northern part of the Netherlands increased and the seismic assessment of unreinforced masonry (URM) structures became an important issue. As the problem is recent, the current building stock is not designed to withstand earthquakes and national guidelines are under development, but currently not...

Structural behaviour of a calcium silicate brick masonry assemblage: Quasi-static cyclic pushover and dynamic identification test (C31B60-7)