Cyclic chracterization of locked and standard brick infilled reinforced concrete frames under quasi-static loading conditions: Experimental and analytical work

Reinforced concrete frame structures with masonry infill walls constitute the significant portion of the buildings stock in Turkey. Therefore, it is very important to understand the behavior of masonry infill frame structures under earthquake loads. This study presents an experimental work performed on reinforced concrete frames with different types of masonry infills, namely standard and locked bricks. Earthquake effects are induced on RC frames by quasi-static test setup. Results obtained from different frames are compared with each other through various stiffness, strength, and energy related parameters. It is shown that locked bricks may prove useful in decreasing the problems related to horizontal and vertical irregularities observed in such structural systems, and moreover tests show that locked brick infills maintain their integrity up to very high drift levels, showing that they may have a potential in reducing injuries and fatalities related to falling hazards during severe ground shakings.