Strengthening of adobe houses for seismic actions

ABSTRACT

In order to evaluate the efficiency of three strengthening methods for adobe houses, five 12.5 scale models were tested in a shaking table under the effect of the accelerograms of three major actual earthquakes. Mechanical properties of adobe masonry and structural behavior of adobe walls were also studied. The main objective of the reinforcement was to avoid separation of the walls in the corners and their subsequent overturning. Test results indicated that the seismic intensity that can be withstood without major damage is increased at least twice by any of the strengthening methods studies, the most efficient being the welded mesh reinforcement (AU)