Development of a System for Cyclic Shear Tests on Full-Scale Walls

Abstract

The SHS-Multirisk Project proposes a residence model that is simultaneously resistant to earthquakes and hurricanes within a specific range of magnitude to be defined in the project. It uses simple, low-cost, and environmentally friendly construction technologies compared with traditional alternatives or more technological, but less accessible ones. To reach the SHS-Multirisk objectives, an experimental campaign to carry on cyclic shear tests involved a set of 15 reinforced soil-cement compressed earth block walls. Within this program, a particular test system was developed, conditioned by the guidelines: simplicity, availability of resources (especially components, equipment, and workmanship), rationalization of the available space, and scalability of the tests. Considering the short time available for designing and manufacturing the test system and for carrying out the shear tests, it was decided to adopt a project management framework in Scrum mode. This article presents the system developed to conduct full-scale cyclic shear (combined with bending) tests on walls, exploring its characteristics, the development process, the experiment execution process, and a basic analysis of the main test outputs.