Seismic Retrofit of RC Frame with Masonry Infill Wall Using Friction Damper

Abstract

Low- and mid-rise reinforced concrete (RC) buildings have been widely used in many countries including Korea. These buildings commonly included masonry infill walls, and designed primarily for gravity loads, which may lead to premature shear failure of columns under seismic loads. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation into the seismic response of a two-third-scale, one-story non-ductile RC frame. The purpose of this study is: (1) to evaluate the seismic performance of gravity-load designed RC frames with and without masonry infill walls, and (2) to propose an effective retrofit method using friction damper. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed retrofit scheme using friction damper is effective in improving seismic performance of RC frame with masonry infill wall.