Comprehensive numerical approaches for the design and safety assessment of masonry buildings retrofitted with steel bands in developing countries: The case of India

Three alternative numerical strategies ready-to-use by a common practitioner and directly implementable in commercial codes are critically compared in the prediction of the non-linear behavior of a small masonry building prototype, with an estimation of the efficiency of masonry retrofitting by means of traditional strengthening with steel bands. The aim of the approach proposed is to put at disposal to practitioners working in developing countries, simple but effective numerical instruments to have a reliable evaluation of the load carrying capacity of existing buildings and to propose the most suitable strengthening intervention, with a quantitative indication of the vulnerability reduction.