Experimental Assessment of Stone Masonry Material Parameters for Seismic Assessment of Heritage Buildings

Abstract eng:
Eastern Canada has a large stock of old unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings with architectural heritage value and their seismic resistance is a concern for architects and engineers involved in defining preservation strategies. Existing (URM) wall structures require upgrading solutions that restore the wall integrity and provide sufficient resistance to earthquake loads. The current challenge in selecting efficient upgrading solutions is the evaluation of the lateral resistance and performance of existing URM walls. This evaluation is the first necessary step in the selection of an optimal strengthening strategy that reduces the potential earthquake induced damage. In Eastern Canada, however, there is limited reported information regarding the mechanical properties of those URM walls, leading to difficulty in providing a reliable prediction of their seismic resistance. This paper presents an experimental assessment of shear and compressive strength parameters for stone masonry assemblies composed of lime-stone blocks joined with cement/lime mortar which were commonly used in heritage buildings construction in Eastern Canada. The paper presents the testing program, analysis and discussion of the results including: compressive strength of lime mortar, lime-stone blocks, joint shear bond strength and diagonal shear strength parameters.

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