- Author
- Woodward, K. | Rankin, F.
- Title
- Behavior of Concrete Block Masonry Walls Subjected to Repeated Cyclic Displacements.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC
- Sponsor
- Bureau of Mines, Washington, DC
- Report
- NBSIR 83-2780, October 1983,
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
- walls; concrete blocks; cyclic loads; cracks; strain measurement; fatigue limit; strain rate | concrete blocks
- Abstract
- An experimental investigation into the behavior of unreinforced, ungrouted concrete block masonry walls subjected to repeated in-plane cyclic displacements was undertaken. A total of 15 walls were tested of which 10 were 64 in. x 64 in. planar walls and 5 were 64 in. higher corner walls having equal leg lengths of 48 in. The primary parameter varied in the investigation was loading history. Monotonic tests at both slow and rapid strain rates were done. The cyclic tests included fully reversed displacement patterns and reversed displacement patterns superimposed on static displacement offsets. The cyclic tests included at least 100,000 repetitions. The test results indicated a pronounced effect of loading history on the wall performance, but only at load/displacements nearing the load capacity failure point.