Seismic Design of Low Rise Concrete Masonry Buildings

摘要

Concrete masonry systems are probably most misunderstood from design and behavior aspects. The reinforced concrete masonry systems, which are primarily used in high seismic areas such as California, are complex assemblages. A concrete masonry assemblage consists of at least four primary materials (masonry, mortar, grout and reinforcing bars) interacting with each other to provide a structural system that is complex to analyze and design. Due to variability of materials and their interactions, inspection and construction of masonry structures take on an added significance as compared to systems constructed with other materials. This paper presents the analysis and design of a simple, low-rise concrete masonry building. In specifics, it discusses load path, behavior of each of the materials and design of the masonry walls. The paper also discusses code provision, for specifications for verifying compressive strength of masonry and inspection and construction considerations. It is anticipated that this practical application specifically designed to address structural engineering issues in a design office, will remove some of the misperceptions about reinforced concrete masonry systems.