Design of special reinforced masonry shear walls in the US

The paper summarizes a new, practical guide titled "Seismic Design of Special Reinforced Masonry Shear Walls, A Guide for Practicing Engineers" that is available for free online at http://www.nehrp.gov/library/techbriefs.htm. While focused on the U.S. codes for masonry design, the Guide addresses universal challenges relevant to masonry seismic design in any country. Masonry serves simultaneously as architecture (defining the building's appearance and functional program), enclosure (defining the building's external envelope), and structure (resisting vertical and lateral loads). The architectural elements are established first; consequently, the structural designer is not able to choose the location and proportion of masonry structural elements, but must be able to detail the given elements to meet the intent of the code for stiffness, strength, and ductility. The Guide provides insight regarding analysis and design for different wall configurations, application of rules and limitations on reinforcement, and application of newly codified limit design procedures.