Cyclic tests of concrete masonry walls with reduced quantity of reinforcement

Abstract

The results of an experimental study of two confined masonry walls and two reinforced masonry walls with reduced quantity of reinforcement are presented. The full scale walls were made of hollow concrete blocks and were tested with horizontal cyclic loads. The dimensions of the walls were 3650x2250 mm and the thickness of the walls was 140 mm. The cross-sectional area of horizontal reinforcement is 0.0003 times the gross-sectional area of the reinforced masonry wall. The cracking and damage patterns, strength and stiffness degradation and deterioration, energy dissipation capacity and displacement capacity after the cracking are analyzed. The conclusions are useful for the seismic design of one and two stories masonry dwellings.