Analysis of steel-reinforced masonry walls regarding maximum shear loads

Loadings on masonry for the earthquake case pose particular challenges for the material. In order to improve the load-bearing and deformation behaviour, masonry building elements can be strengthened with reinforcement. This article presents an analytical model for the calculation of the load-bearing capacity of vertically reinforced masonry panels. The masonry is modelled as a homogeneous and anisotropic material and failure conditions are based on the plastic theory. Using uniaxially loaded stress fields and considering the structural constraints, a lower load-bearing threshold can be given. In order to verify the model, three shear tests on reinforced sand-lime block masonry were recalculated regarding their load-bearing capacity. The test panels each contained vertical steel reinforcement in the blocks. The blocks were laid in thin bed mortar.