Modelling the seismic response of modern URM buildings retrofitted by adding RC walls

Modern unreinforced masonry buildings with reinforced concrete slabs are often retrofitted by inserting reinforced concrete walls. The main advantages of this technique are the increase in strength and displacement capacity with respect to masonry structures. The paper presents two modelling approaches for evaluating such structures: a shell-element model and a macro-element one. The objective is to formulate practical recommendations for setting up a macro-element model using as input the geometry of the structure and results from standard material tests. Structural configurations of masonry buildings, in which the insertion of reinforced concrete walls is an efficient retrofit technique, are also investigated.