Structural behavior of steel tie connections in masonry veneer walls: Proposal of a simplified approach for practice

Abstract

Steel ties perform a key structural role in ensuring the stability of buildings façades built with brick masonry veneer walls. These elements are responsible for transferring the loads acting on the veneer wall to the main structure, which typically consists of masonry infill walls used in reinforced concrete frames buildings. Such constructive system is common in Portugal and other Mediterranean countries where the seismic hazard is high. In the event of an earthquake, the ties have to transfer the out-of-plane loads and are subjected to significant tension and compression stress. The characterization of the seismic behavior of these tie connections is an insufficiently explored topic. Despite the codes available for the design of brick masonry veneers and ties, recent earthquakes brought to light the seismic vulnerability of this constructive system. The present paper proposes a simplified spring numerical model validated with experimental results. The simplified model can be applied to perform numerical analyses of greater scale (e.g. to analyze full façades of buildings), which can help to optimize the design. Finally, the paper identifies a common construction problem, which is the probable misalignment of the mortar joints of the masonry walls. A construction solution is proposed by the authors.