Experimental and Analytical Approach for the Assesment of Flexural Strength of Adobe Masonry

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation about the flexural behavior of adobe masonry. It is focused on the development of constitutive models that can serve as a basis for the establishment of new design guidelines for adobe constructions, with special emphasis on seismic reinforcements. The paper analyzes the flexural behaviour of geogrid reinforced adobe walls. The experimental seismic tests of geogrid reinforced adobe houses have proven the effectiveness of the reinforcement technique. However, additional research is needed to develop constitutive models that can be used to quantify the actual performances of the reinforced adobe. For this purpose, bending tests have been carried out to obtain experimental curvature-moment relationships for reinforced and non reinforced adobe walls. Analytical models have been developed to approach these experimental laws, using equilibrium and compatibility equations similar to those usually applied for the flexural behaviour of reinforced concrete. The constitutive models of the individual materials are previously obtained through experimental tests, and simplified constitutive models are proposed for the governing equations. The analytical models show the ductility of adobe masonry, and how ductility increases when adobe is reinforced with geogrids. The proposed mathematical models and methodology can be applied to other structural elements and reinforcement systems. They can serve as a basis for the development of new design guidelines for adobe masonry.