Modelling and Seismic Response Analysis of Existing URM Structures. Part 1: Archetypes of Italian Modern Buildings

ABSTRACT

Five existing unreinforced masonry buildings, built in different Italian cities in a relatively recent time frame, were selected to study the seismic behaviour of modern existing structures, not designed to withstand seismic actions. The buildings were modelled using an equivalent-frame approach, adopting, and comparing two nonlinear constitutive laws and introducing specific modelling strategies to represent the distinctive features of modern existing URM structures. Nonlinear static analyses were performed to determine capacity and multi-stripe time history analyses to evaluate displacement demand at increasing return periods. Although non-exhaustive, the results show a trend of generally decreasing seismic vulnerability for more recent buildings.

KEYWORDS:

• Unreinforced masonry
• modern existing buildings
• pushover analysis
• nonlinear dynamic analysis
• seismic vulnerability assessment

Acknowledgments

The study presented in this article was developed within the activities of the ReLUIS-DPC and EUCENTRE-DPC 2019–2021 research programs, funded by the Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri-Dipartimento della Protezione Civile (DPC). Note that the opinions and conclusions presented by the authors do not necessarily reflect those of the funding entity. The authors would also like to thank Dr. Paolo Morandi, Mr. Luca Albanesi, Mr. Carlo Manzini, and Prof. Guido Magenes for their support in the design/selection of some of the case study buildings.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).