Experimental investigations on non-engineered masonry houses in low to moderate seismicity areas

This paper presents the results of shaking table tests performed on two full-scale masonry houses typical from North-European countries. The main objective of the study was to assess the seismic behavior of such houses for situations of low to moderate seismicity, as well as to evidence the efficiency of some reinforcing details. The main outcomes are that the value of the behavior factor ("q") for unreinforced masonry and the value of the limit slenderness of masonry panels adjacent to openings proposed by Eurocode 8 are confirmed by the experimental results. Furthermore, the devices proposed to improve the seismic behavior are found efficient for limiting the damages in the range of seismicity level for which they are intended but have no impact on the global collapse limit state.