Out-of-plane response of URM gable walls
from experimental testing to modeling and assessment tools
Nicolò Damiani (Università di Pavia)
Satyadhrik Sharma (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)
Marta Bertassi (Istituto Universitario di Studi Superiori)
Francesco Messali (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)
Francesco Graziotti (Università di Pavia)
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Abstract
Low-rise masonry buildings in Europe and worldwide are predominantly characterised by unreinforced masonry (URM) walls combined with pitched timber roof systems, often supported by masonry gables. These structures constitute a significant portion of the existing building stock in seismic-prone regions, including areas exposed to both natural and induced seismicity. Among their components, masonry gables are frequently identified as the most seismically vulnerable elements with respect to out-of-plane (OOP) response. Post-earthquake damage surveys worldwide provide extensive evidence of this vulnerability, which arises from their pronounced slenderness, weak connections to roof structures, minimal vertical overburden, and their position at the building apex. In addition, the interaction between gable walls and flexible roof diaphragms can further increase seismic vulnerability. Rather than providing effective restraint, timber roof systems may amplify seismic motion and transfer increased OOP demands to the gables. Despite the recurrent observation of gable failures in past earthquakes, dedicated experimental investigations on their seismic response remain limited in the literature. Most available insights are derived from tests on masonry walls with rectangular geometries, leaving a substantial gap in the understanding of the dynamic behaviour of triangular gable walls and their interaction with roof structures under seismic loading. To address this gap, this study presents an experimental campaign on the dynamic OOP seismic response of full-scale URM gable walls tested up to collapse.