Experimental behaviour of newly developed systems for load bearing reinforced masonry walls

In the framework of a research project funded by the European Commission, innovative construction systems for load and non-load-bearing reinforced masonry walls are being developed. In particular, a new reinforced masonry system made with perforated clay units, purposely developed for low-rise residential buildings to withstand in-plane actions, based on the use of horizontally perforated clay units and concentrated vertical reinforcement, is under study for the application in areas characterized by low to high seismic hazard. This contribution presents the description of this construction system and the first experimental results obtained.