Seismic performance of brick masonry infilled frame structures with bed joint reinforcements

This paper presents the evaluation of the seismic performance of brick infilled RC frame structures with bed joint reinforcements based on reversed cyclic lateral load tests. Three specimens of the structural model of 1/4 scale-down single-story single-bay brick infilled RC frame was prepared, which were brick infilled RC frames with and without bed joint reinforcements. Two specimens of brick infills with bed joint reinforcements were different in the spacing of bed joint rebars. The specimens were tested by applying a reversed cyclic lateral loading in-plane direction. During the tests, the crack propagation was observed at the peak and residual drifts of each loading cycle to recognize the failure mechanisms of the specimens. As the results, although the use of the bed joint reinforcements ineffective to increase the lateral strength of the overall infilled frame structure. The rebars in mortar bed joints role to sustain the lateral strength in plastic deformation, and provide the whole structure with high ductility. It seemed that the rebars in mortar bed joints confined the brick infills. Therefore, the infilled RC frames can survive in large deformation without failure of the infills in out of the plane direction.