IN-PLANE TESTING OF URM WALL PANELS RETROFITTED USING TIMBER STRONG-BACKS

Australia earthquake engineering Conference, Newcastle

REFERENCE

Maduh U.J., Shedde D., Ingham J., Dizhur D. (2019). In-plane testing of URM wall panels retrofitted using timber strong-backs. In the proceedings of the Australian Earthquake Engineering Society Conference, Newcastle, Australia

Scope and methodology

• Assess in-plane performance of retrofitted walls using (1) timber strong-backs, and (2) plywood overlays.

• Diagonal compression test of five double-leaf clay brick masonry wallettes.

• Wall in-plane temporary securing were also investigated using two different techniques: (1) timber strong-backs, and (2) ratchet tie-down straps.

FINDINGS

• All specimens failed in diagonal shear through the mortar joints along the line of the applied load.

• Wall panels retrofitted with plywood sheets were able to resist higher diagonal tension force compared to those with timber strong-backs.

• Retrofitted and repaired walls maintained a reasonably constant shear stress capacity following crack formation.

• The drifts from the retrofitted walls indicated a high ductile behaviour of the walls.

• Ties were shown to contribute to transfer the shear load from masonry wall to the retrofit material.

• The use of timber strong-backs or ratchet tie-down straps was shown to be an effective method to restore post-cracked wall in-plane capacity.