The seismic response of brick infill walls in existing reinforced concrete buildings

In reinforced concrete buildings, infill walls serve the purpose of separating different housing units and the interior from the external environment. Prior to the implementation of OPCM n. 3431 of 03/05/2005, they were not considered as elements that could contribute to the seismic response of the structure in structural design. However, recent earthquakes have shown the opposite, leading both the Technical Standards for Construction (D.M. of January 17, 2018) and Annex A of D.M. n. 58 of February 28, 2017 to emphasize their importance.

This article aims to provide a point of reflection for industry professionals regarding the evaluation of appropriate reinforcement techniques to be applied to the infill walls of existing buildings.