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Mirra, M. (author), Pagella, G. (author), Lee, Michael (author), Gard, W.F. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), van de Kuilen, J.W.G. (author)In the historic city centre of Amsterdam (NL), the predominant foundation system is comprised of wooden piles. Due to their placement below the water table, these foundations are susceptible to bacterial decay. This study aims to investigate and compare various methods for characterizing decay patterns within the cross sections of piles...journal article 2024
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Felicita, M.P. (author), Pagella, G. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), Mirra, M. (author), van de Kuilen, J.W.G. (author)This case study explores the utilization of distributed fiber optic sensors (DFOS) in wooden foundation piles, for assessing and monitoring the stress distribution along their length. Three spruce and three pine foundation piles instrumented with DFOS were driven into the soil in a testing field in Amsterdam and axially loaded in compression....journal article 2024
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Mirra, M. (author), Gerardini, Andrea (author), Ghirardelli, Sergio (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), van de Kuilen, J.W.G. (author)This work presents the application of timber-based retrofitting techniques to a case-study stone masonry church featuring a wooden roof from 18<sup>th</sup> century. From the static point of view, the original roof structure presented a number of undersized structural elements, and its members were poorly or not connected among each other and...journal article 2023
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Mirra, M. (author), Pagella, G. (author), Gard, W.F. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), van de Kuilen, J.W.G. (author)In the historic city centre of Amsterdam (NL), the most widespread foundation system consists of wooden piles. With the aim of modelling and predicting remaining service life of these foundations and the piles in particular, one of the possible methods for collecting data and monitoring their condition consists of micro-drilling (MD)...conference paper 2023
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Pagella, G. (author), Mirra, M. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), van de Kuilen, J.W.G. (author)This work investigated the influence of knots on the compression strength of wooden foundation piles. The study involved 110 pile segments sawn from 18 spruce and 9 pine piles with a mean diameter of approximately 200 mm, and moisture contents above fiber saturation. The mechanical properties were determined performing both full-scale...conference paper 2023
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Mirra, M. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author)The region of Groningen (NL) has experienced increasing human-induced seismicity caused by gas extraction in the last decades. The local building stock, not designed for seismic loads, consists for more than 50% of unreinforced masonry buildings with timber diaphragms. In this context, a detailed seismic characterization of timber and masonry...conference paper 2023
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Gard, W.F. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), van de Kuilen, J.W.G. (author)Timber pile foundations are widespread in many areas around Europe and North-America. Especially in areas with weak soils, timber pile foundations have been a very good and economic solution. That foundations can be up to 500 years in service in cities like Venice, Amsterdam, Boston and many others. Degradation of the piles may occur over...book chapter 2023
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Mirra, M. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), de Vries, P.A. (author), Messali, F. (author)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...journal article 2022
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Mirra, M. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), de Vries, P.A. (author), van de Kuilen, J.W.G. (author)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...journal article 2021
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Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), van Dalen, J.H. (author), Mirra, M. (author), Steiger, René (author), van de Kuilen, J.W.G. (author)In this work, the relationship for a socket-type connection in wooden foundation piles is investigated, and a trilinear moment-rotation diagram was determined by means of experiment.<br/>Numerical and analytical models confirmed that the material properties for compression perpendicular to the grain are governing for the connections’ strength...conference paper 2021
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Mirra, M. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author)The inadequate seismic performance of existing masonry buildings is often linked to the excessively low in-plane stiffness of timber diaphragms and the poor quality of their connections to the walls. However, relevant past studies and seismic events have also shown that rigid diaphragms could be detrimental for existing buildings and do not...journal article 2021
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van de Kuilen, J.W.G. (author), Beketova-Hummel, O. (author), Pagella, G. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), Gard, W.F. (author)Timber pile foundations are widespread in many areas around Europe and North-America. Especially in areas with weak soils, timber pile foundations have been a very good and economic solution. However, aging of the foundations can become a problem, as physical, biological and/or chemical degradation may occur over time. Now, that foundations...conference paper 2021
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Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), Gijzen, Richard (author), Willebrands, Okke (author), Slooten, Elgar (author), van de Kuilen, J.W.G. (author)Tall timber buildings are of growing interest worldwide and also in the Netherlands. With the introduction of CLT, higher timber buildings are possible compared to traditional timber frame housing. Tall timber buildings can be made as modular buildings or as buildings with a CLT or concrete core and a timber wall/column-floor system that can...conference paper 2021
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Mirra, M. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), van de Kuilen, J.W.G. (author)Historical or existing buildings are often composed of brick or stone masonry walls, and timber floors and roofs. When these buildings are subjected to earthquakes, the interaction among such structural components is essential to avoid collapse or excessive damage to the constructions. In this framework, a crucial role is played by the...conference paper 2021
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Mirra, M. (author), Sousamli, M. (author), Longo, M. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author)In the region of Groningen (NL), human-induced earthquakes initiated by gas extraction are causing structural damage. In that area, the building stock is mainly composed of unrein- forced masonry (URM) buildings with light and flexible timber floors and roofs. Thus, an ex- perimental campaign was arranged for assessing the in-plane response of...conference paper 2021
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Mirra, M. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), van de Kuilen, J.W.G. (author)In-plane behavior of timber diaphragms is usually characterized by means of an equivalent shear stiffness. However, this value depends on how the stiffness of the floors is evaluated from the experimental tests. Although an increasing number of research studies have provided a deeper insight into the seismic characterization of as-built and...journal article 2021
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Mirra, M. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), van de Kuilen, J.W.G. (author)In the field of seismic retrofitting, a common intervention to improve box-like behaviour in an existing building is the strengthening and stiffening of existing timber floors and roofs. However, these retrofitting methods should be carefully applied, because they change the static scheme and the buildings' response to earthquakes....conference paper 2021
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Esposito, R. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), Rots, J.G. (author)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...journal article 2021
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Messali, F. (author), Esposito, R. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), Rots, J.G. (author)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...journal article 2020
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Mirra, M. (author), Ravenshorst, G.J.P. (author), van de Kuilen, J.W.G. (author)Traditional timber floors cannot normally withstand horizontal seismic loads without large deformations. This may lead to a corresponding out-of-plane collapse of masonry walls in existing buildings. This situation is even more critical in the Netherlands, around the city of Groningen, where human-induced earthquakes started to take place....journal article 2020