THE MULTI-ASEISMIC RESISTING METHOD FOR REINFORCED MASONRY STRUCTURES

Although the Code for Aseismic Design of Buildings stipulates that ?(the structures) should be designed with multi-aseismic resisting systems? no specific items are given. In this paper, aimed at the aseismic design of reinforced masonry structures, the authors present a method to divide all the walls into two groups: the primary and the secondary lateral load resisting system. It is argued that only when sufficient care is taken during the design procedure of the primary system, the structure can be safe to survive earthquakes. Using the characteristic of the skeleton curve of the reinforced masonry wall, the authors present a full set of design steps. An example and some supplement explanations are also given. It is shown that the present method is valid and practicable.