Investigation of the interaction between masonry infill walls and reinforced concrete frames in progressive collapse scenarios

• Grant number: 23/15725-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: March 01, 2024
• End date: July 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Civil Engineering - Structural Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Vladimir Guilherme Haach
• Grantee: Thássia Dias Zanardo Rufato
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Throughout history, building collapses resulting from propagation of local failures (progressive collapse), have caused numerous disasters. Extensive research has been dedicated to exploring secondary load-resisting mechanisms to mitigate this risk. One potential alternative that has recently garnered attention is the contribution of infill walls. However, uncertainties and sim-plifications persist regarding infilled frame performance. To advance our understanding, this research proposal aims to assess the interaction between masonry infill walls and concrete frames during progressive collapse conditions. The experimental program will consist of two phases. The first will focus on material and interface properties to provide essential data for improving numerical models, which currently rely on significant simplifications due to data limitations. The second phase will assess failure modes, resistance mechanisms, and the influ-ence of various factors, including unit types, infill construction details, span lengths, and load-ing rates on infilled frame performance. Based on these experimental results, this study intends to propose analytical and numerical models that simplify the estimation of masonry infilled frame performance, potentially leading to recommendations for enhancing the safety of con-struction works involving those structures in a progressive collapse scenario.