Seismic Performance of Retrofitted Masonry Building Considering Soil-Foundation-Structure Interaction

Around the world, many unreinforced masonry buildings have been constructed for different usages, such as schools. Studies have shown the seismic vulnerability of these buildings. Thus nonlinear analysis and seismic assessment of these buildings and improving the  retrofitting methods are necessary. One of the retrofitting methods in these buildings is the use of shear walls. In most seismic rehabilitation projects of masonry buildings, piles are used in the foundations of shear walls, and the major retrofit project costs are the foundations and piles. In order to improve the accuracy of the seismic assessment of these buildings, this study investigates the effect of soil and structure interaction on the seismic behavior of these buildings. To reduce the cost of retrofitting shallow strip foundation for new shear walls were added including the effect of rocking, sliding, and settlement responses. It was shown that the interaction of soil and structure in the seismic behavior of masonry buildings retrofitted by squat concrete shear walls reduces the base shear and increases the maximum drift of the building. If this increase in the lateral drift of the building can be tolerated, it will reduce considerably the cost of retrofitting unreinforced masonry buildings.