Seismic Performance of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) Masonry: From Experimental Testing of the In-Plane Capacity of Walls to Building Response Simulation

The need to assess the seismic performance of autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) masonry arose in different countries in the last years. The use of AAC for load-bearing walls is quite common in low seismicity areas in Central and Northern Europe, where its thermal insulation properties, together with lightness and workability, are particularly appreciated. Increasing attention to energy-efficient buildings is now supporting the adoption of a material with such characteristics also in higher seismicity regions. Hence, in order to correctly study the seismic performance of this constructive system, the in-plane response of unreinforced AAC masonry panels has been assessed through an experimental test campaign aiming at obtaining a reliable description of the lateral cyclic behavior. The experimental results are summarized in the article and the derived essential seismic design parameters are presented. The test results allowed the calibration of a macro-element model representative of the nonlinear response of single piers, simulating their cyclic experimental behavior. Three-dimensional models of unreinforced AAC masonry buildings were then obtained using the TREMURI program. Their seismic performance assessment has been carried out through both a nonlinear static (pushover) procedure and nonlinear dynamic time history analyses. Nevertheless, the obtained results allow for some preliminary considerations on the global response of this type of construction and its potential for application in moderate and high seismicity countries.