The Seismic Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Frame Structures with Infill Masonry in the Bucharest Area

The partitions of reinforced concrete frames can be lightweight (with gypsum board) or heavy (with infill masonry). Regardless of the type of partitions, the actual design code does not take them into account, therefore, the structure is designed as a pure frame. However, if the partitions are made of masonry that intimately connects with the frame, the behaviour of the structure is different than that of a bare frame. Generally, frame structures with infill masonry have an increase in stiffness and strength and a different cyclic behaviour. The interaction between the frame and the masonry is a difficult problem, and there are only a few numerical models for this phenomenon. Therefore, the first goal of the article is to present the state of the art regarding the behaviour and modelling of the masonry infill. Furthermore, the influence of masonry on global response of reinforced concrete frames is analyzed by using dynamic nonlinear analyses for several structures in the Bucharest area. The results are then discussed with respect to the displacement demand of the elements and masonry behaviour.