This paper presents an "innovative" structural system, aiming to provide a cheap yet reliable, and very effective seismic protection to residential houses/buildings, characterized with abundance of masonry infill wall panels. This is achieved through use of innovative IDRIZI seismic devices (based on a combination of two-layered friction/sliding mechanism), which are placed at characteristic locations between the masonry infill walls and the structural frame system of the building. An analytical study, supported by experimental research, indicates that buildings utilized with this innovative frame/wall system, dissipate up to 80% of earthquake energy input through the friction mechanism of IDRIZI seismic devices.
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