Low load cycling and static testing on a masonry infilled steel frame

Abstract

The behaviour of masonry i n f i l l e d panels was i n v e s t i g a t ed under low load c y c l i n g . A masonry i n f i l l e d s t e e l frame was s u b j e c t e d to roof l e v e l in-plane h o r i z o n t a l c y c l i c loading to determine the e f f e c t t h i s had on the s t i f f n e s s of the masonry w a l l. The masonry i n f i l l e d s t e e l frame was then s t a t i c a l l y loaded to a f i r s t major c r a c k . The loading was r e v e r s e d and a p p l i e d in the o p p o s i t e d i r e c t i o n t o determine what e f f e c t the c r a c k had on the s t i f f n e s s of the w a l l . F i n a l l y the w a l l was loaded in the p o s i t i ve d i r e c t i o n to complete f a i l u r e . The masonry w a l l was l a t e r r e p a i r ed w i t h s t r u c t u r a l s k i n s u r f a c e r e i n f o r c i n g . The r e p a i r e d w a l l was loaded s t a t i c a l l y again with a h o r i z o n t a l i n - p l a n e shear load to f a i l u r e . The f i n a l l o a d i n g was to determine the e f f e c t i v e n e s s of the s t r u c t u r a l s k i n i n improving the s t i f f n e s s and the o v e r a ll s t r e n g t h of the w a l l The r e s u l t s were t a b u l a t e d , p l o t t e d and a n a l y z e d.