Damage identification applied to reinforced masonry structures

In the framework of the DISWall research project, funded by the European Commission, innovative construction systems for reinforced masonry walls were developed. One of these systems was aimed at building tall load bearing walls for single-story constructions, such as commercial and industrial buildings. In this case, the roof often does not constitute a rigid diaphragm capable of redistributing the seismic action on the in-plane walls. To study this condition, two real scale prototypes were tested under cyclic out-of-plane loading. To assess the reliability of dynamic identification techniques, applied for the detection of boundary conditions, structural properties, and damage, dynamic tests (ambient vibration) were carried out before and during the execution of cyclic out-of-plane tests. The results are shown in the present contribution.