Seismic evaluation of unreinforced masonry buildings — a state-of-the-art report

The potential vulnerability of old unreinforced masonry buildings, designed with little or no consideration for seismic-design requirements; is well documented. In regions without seismic retrofit ordinances prescribing a specific method to evaluate existing unreinforced masonry buildings, engineers have generally resorted to either conservative methods or various advanced analytical models. Although some approaches have received broader acceptance than others, there is still no consensus among practising engineers in North America, To provide perspective on the spectrum of strategies available and a clear overview of the state-of-the-art on this topic, this paper (i) presents the theoretical background and practical applications of a new procedure to evaluate unreinforced masonry bearing wall buildings, developed in California and recently integrated into the new Canadian Guidelines for the Seismic Evaluation of Existing Buildings, and («) summarizes the findings from other recent experimental and analytical research activities on the seismic behaviour of unreinforced masonry buildings, and from advances in their modelling.