Numerical Study Of Pier-Wall Connections In Typical Dutch Urm Buildings

In recent years, the seismic risk in the north of the Netherlands has increased due to gas extraction. Since 2014, the Delft University of Technology started a research program to assess the seismic response of unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings. The Dutch URM buildings are characterized by slender piers and transverse walls. In common...

Sub-structure-based ‘three-tiered’ finite element approach to soil-masonry-wall interaction for light seismic motion

Recent, light earthquakes induced by the extraction of gas in the north of the Netherlands have been linked to light, mostly aesthetic damage of the traditional masonry structures in the region; this is also connected to economic losses and societal unrest. To be able to accurately assess the light damage, detailed finite element models are...

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 and numerical study of historic masonry with bed joint reinforced repointing

Induced seismicity due to gas extraction in the province of Groningen in the Netherlands has a noticeable impact on building structures. Historic masonry structures in the area, which are non-engineered and lacking empirical design features often present in traditionally seismic regions, are especially vulnerable to dynamic loading. Compounding...

In-plane seismic behaviour of retrofitted masonry walls subjected to subsidence-induced damage

The province of Groningen in the Netherlands is experiencing the continuous impact of gas extraction in the form of induced seismicity. Due to the absence of naturally occurring seismicity in the region, the historic building stock of Groningen was constructed without empirical design features typically encountered in naturally seismic...

Experimental and computational study of the influence of pre-damage patterns in unreinforced masonry crack propagation due to induced, repeated earthquakes

Induced seismicity in the north of the Netherlands has recently exposed unprepared, unreinforced masonry structures to considerable earthquake risk. While the ultimate-limit state capacity of the structures is vital to assess the individual’s risk, their behavior during more frequent, lighter earthquakes, leading to ‘lighter damage’, has shown...

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...

Blind prediction of a cyclic pushover test on a two-storey masonry assemblage: a comparative study

In recent years induced seismicity in the north of the Netherlands has considerably increased. The built environment in the region mainly consists of unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings. Those buildings were not designed for seismic loads and have specific characteristics, that limit their seismic performance. In early 2017 a quasi-static...

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...