Roger D. Flanagan

Shake table testing of structural clay tile infilled frames

Two steel frames with structural clay tile infills were tested under simulated seismic loads in both the out-of-plane and in-plane direction. Out-of-plane testing showed that infill panels separate from their bounding frame, and respond at their own natural frequency during a seismic excitation. Due to arching, the panels remain stable. In-plane seismic testing showed similar behavior patterns to previous static testing. The natural frequency was adequately predicted using a piecewise linear equivalent strut analytical method. The structure was then subjected to over one thousand cycles of loading using a sine sweep before failure.

Masonry infill performance during the Northridge earthquake

The response of masonry infills during the 1994 Northridge, California earthquake is described in terms of three categories: (1) lowrise and midrise structures experiencing large near field seismic excitations, (2) lowrise and midrise structures experiencing moderate far field excitation, and (3) highrise structures experiencing moderate far field excitation. In general, the infills provided a positive beneficial effect on the performance of the buildings, even those experiencing large peak accelerations near the epicenter. Varying types of masonry infills, structural frames, design conditions, and construction deficiencies were observed and their performance during the earthquake indicated. A summary of observations of the performance of infills in other recent earthquakes is given. Comparison with the Northridge earthquake is made and expected response of infill structures in lower seismic regions of the central and eastern United States is discussed.