Seismic Retrofitting Techniques for Masonry Infills: A Review of Existing Design Strategies

Damage and collapse of masonry infills are widely observed in earthquakes. It is also found that the economic losses caused by the failure of masonry infill walls, such as repair or reconstruction costs of walls, equipment damage, and functional loss of the buildings, may even far exceed those caused by structural members. The primary objective of this paper is to present a general review of the different kinds of interventions carried out to protect the infills not only preventing the in-plane damage but also improving out-of-plane stability. Besides, as far as the state of the art is concerned, a taxonomy of the interventions is proposed, and the advantages and limitations of each group of interventions are discussed. Lastly, a preliminary conception of a new preservation system made by eco-sustainable regenerated rubber is proposed, not only to prevent damage that occurs in infills but also to limit costs and facilitate installation.