Influence of Masonry Infill Wall Position and Openings in the Seismic Response of Reinforced Concrete Frames

Abstract

It is now widely recognized that the masonry infill frame used in reinforced concrete structures (RC) greatly enhances both the rigidity and strength of the surrounding frame. The lateral loading behavior of this RC frame is different from the frame without infill, although the structural contribution of infill walls is discarded in many countries, including Algeria. This paper aims to focus on the effect of openings and the effect of changing the distribution of masonry panels on the global behavior of buildings. For this, a pushover analysis is carried out to evaluate the seismic performance and assess the behavior of infilled RC, and to study the results related to capacity curve, inter-story drift and energy. The results obtained show that the effect of the openings and changing of the distribution of masonry panels can drastically change the overall behavior of the structures regarding enhancing strength capacities and energy absorption. Noticeable remarks in terms of distributing masonry panels within a frame are observed and several recommendations concerning the present practice might be important to be considered.