A set of calculation tools supporting the design, modelling and application of plywood-based seismic retrofitting interventions on timber floors in existing buildings

The application of timber-based strengthening solutions to existing wooden and masonry structures, combines several benefits, such as reversibility, compatibility, lightness, sustainability, affordability, and effectiveness. With reference to existing timber floors, an efficient method to enhance their seismic response is the fastening of an...

Experimental characterisation and mechanical modelling of connection details in traditional Groningen houses

Post-earthquake structural damage shows that out-of-plane wall collapse is one of the most prevalent failure mechanisms in unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings. This issue is particularly critical in Groningen, a province located in the northern part of the Netherlands, where low-intensity ground shaking has occurred since 1991 due to gas...

Experimental and Numerical Assessment of an Improved Plywood-Based In-Plane Retrofitting Method for Timber Floors in Highly Seismic Areas

Wood-based retrofitting techniques for seismic upgrading and architectural conservation of existing buildings have found increasing application in the last decades. With reference to the in-plane seismic strengthening of existing timber floors, a particularly efficient solution consists of an overlay of plywood panels fastened to the sheathing....

Combining Architectural Conservation and Seismic Strengthening in the Wood-Based Retrofitting of a Monumental Timber Roof: The Case Study of St. Andrew’s Church in Ceto, Brescia, Italy

This work presents the application of timber-based retrofitting techniques to a case-study stone masonry church featuring a wooden roof from 18^th 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...

Seismic behaviour of masonry buildings with timber diaphragms

Existing masonry buildings are very frequently part of the architectural context for several countries all over the world. These constructions often feature masonry walls as vertical structural elements, and timber floors and roofs as horizontal components. The often poor characteristics of masonry, along with the in-plane flexibility of the...

Optimizing Seismic Capacity of Existing Masonry Buildings by Retrofitting Timber Floors: Wood-Based Solutions as a Dissipative Alternative to Rigid Concrete Diaphragms

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...

Comparing In-Plane Equivalent Shear Stiffness of Timber Diaphragms Retrofitted with Light and Reversible Wood-Based Techniques

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...

Numerical Modeling of the In-Plane Seismic Behavior of Unreinforced Masonry Wall Retrofitted with Bed Joint Reinforcements

Gas-induced earthquakes are a major problem in the north of the Netherlands due to many unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings being located in this area. To improve the seismic performance of the URM buildings, existing structures must be retrofitted and if the aesthetic of the building is important, the implemented retrofitting technique must...