Simplified Method for the Seismic Analysis of Masonry Shear-Wall Buildings

In this paper, an improved version of a simplified method to assess lateral shear forces attracted by shear walls of regular, low-rise masonry structures is presented. This simplified method for seismic analysis (SMSA) is allowed by Mexican building codes since the 1970s. The impact of shear deformations in the three-dimensional distribution of the forces absorbed by these walls is assessed for different wall aspect ratios (H/L). Based on extensive parametric studies, effective shear area factors (FAE) originally proposed in the SMSA are modified to improve the estimates of shear forces using this method. New FAE are proposed for three different performance levels for the structure: (1) elastic response; (2) completely nonlinear (cracked) response of all walls along the building height; and (3) partially nonlinear (cracked) response along the height.