Experimental Study on the Seismic Behavior of a Modified Adobe-Brick-Masonry Composite Wall with a Wooden-Construction Center Column

Abstract

Damage to adobe constructions might occur due to a long wall and a lack of effective restraint in the middle of the wall, causing it to collapse under an earthquake. Aiming at these problems, a technology for improving the seismic performance of a modified adobe-brick-masonry composite wall with a wooden-construction center column is proposed. It uses modified mud, a wooden center column, steel-wire mesh, and nylon ropes to reinforce the wall. On this basis, four specimens of composite wall and one specimen of modified adobe wall were subjected to proposed quasistatic, cyclic in-plane loading tests to study their failure modes and seismic performance indicators. The results show that the failure modes of all walls were shear failure. The difference is that the modified adobe wall had horizontal cracks in the middle, whereas the composite walls were largely intact. Moreover, the composite walls relied on the modified mud to improve the seismic bearing capacity of each wall. They relied on the center column and the tie materials to form a second line of defense that would increase the wall ductility and collapse residual area. As a result, the phenomenon that caused wall damage and stiffness degradation was lessened.

Quantitative Contribution of Timber Ring Beams in the Dynamic Response of Adobe Masonry Structures

“…A recent on-site survey conducted within a Nicosia community, under the umbrella of the ISTOS center along with the subsequent development of seismic maps for the same region, have underscored the heightened vulnerability of adobe structures to collapse compared to other load-bearing counterparts. Notably, adobe construction finds widespread usage in regions of the world prone to natural hazards, including Latin America [5,6], Africa [7,8], the Indian subcontinent [9,10], various parts of Asia [11,12], the Middle East [13,14], and Southern Europe [15][16][17][18][19]. This prevalence extends to encompass approximately 30% to 50% of the world's population, which translates to an estimated 3 billion individuals who either reside in or work within earthen buildings.…”