Desktop assessment of URM buildings
Principal Researcher: Associate
Professor Jason Ingham
Students involved: Alistair
Russell.
Existing methods of analysing URM walls are available, but it thought they are overly simplified and thus overly conservative, or else overly sophisticated for the available data input. Also, the effects of the interaction between in-plane and out-of-plane walls (so-called "flange-effects") have not been incorporated into previous assessment methods.
Therefore this research intends to develop a detailed assessment method which will be appropriate for the available material input data, and will incorporate the findings from flange-effect studies. Preliminary research has indicated that inclusion of flange-effects may increase the expected seismic performance of a URM structure by up to 50 %. Taking this into account would allow for greater utilisation of the inherent performance of the structure and reduce the necessity for conservative and invasive retrofit interventions.