Seismic Masonry Infill with Sliding Strips
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional masonry infill walls in buildings are highly seismic vulnerable, leading to deep in-plane damages, brittle fractures, and out-of-plane collapses due to interactions with structural frames, and they complicate the structural response of buildings, making it difficult to predict and control seismic behavior.
Innovation Solution
A masonry infill wall design featuring superimposed masonry strips with sliding elements and a vertical shear key, along with an interface mortar, allowing relative motion between strips and distributing shear forces, thereby reducing crack formation and enhancing out-of-plane strength and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional masonry infill walls are used with complete adhesion to the frame, then construction is easier and cost is reduced, but seismic vulnerability increases and deep in-plane damages occur
Solution Approach 1:
The infill wall is divided into multiple independent masonry strips separated by sliding elements, allowing each strip to move independently during seismic events while maintaining overall wall integrity
Solution Approach 2:
Sliding elements are introduced as intermediary components between masonry strips to facilitate controlled relative motion and distribute shear forces, reducing stress concentrations that lead to cracking
2Strength
If conventional adhering infill walls are used, then thermal-acoustic insulation requirements are met, but out-of-plane collapse and in-plane brittleness occur
Solution Approach 1:
The infill wall system transitions from a rigid fixed structure to a dynamic system where masonry strips can slide relative to each other, allowing the wall to adapt and dissipate seismic energy through controlled movement
3Stability of the object's composition
If adhering infill walls are used, then structural completeness is achieved, but the real structural response becomes unpredictable and difficult to design
Solution Approach 1:
The unpredictable interaction effects are extracted and isolated into the sliding elements, which are designed to provide controlled, predictable behavior that simplifies the overall structural response and design calculations
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design reduces seismic vulnerability by concentrating damage at sliding elements, enhancing the infill wall's and structure's stability, and allowing controlled structural response similar to a 'bare' structure, thus minimizing failures and collapses during seismic events.
Implementation Method 1
sliding elements interposed between two superimposed masonry strips... allowing a masonry strip to slide in a guided manner with respect to the other one
Implementation Method 2
a vertical joint element, provided with a shear key, intended to be inserted into a seat... such to allow the shear key to slide in the seat in case the infill wall is subjected to stresses
Data Source
AI summary
An earthquake-proof masonry infill wall is described which comprises a series of superimposed masonry strips (7). Each masonry strip (7) comprises a plurality of blocks, that is masonry elements (8), arranged adjacent and horizontally such to occupy a space between two columns (3) of the framed structure (2). A sliding element (10) interposed between two adjacent masonry strips (7) has opposing section bar elements (11) that allow a masonry strip to slide in a guided manner with respect to another masonry strip in case of a movement of the infill wall.