Shake-Table Test of a Partially Grouted Reinforced Masonry Building with Double Side-by-Side Vertical Grouted Cells

This experiment constitutes the second phase of the full-scale, shake-table testing carried out at University of California, San Diego as part of this research project. In the first phase a one story partially grouted reinforced masonry building was tested (Specimen 1). Specimen 1 was designed and constructed according to the current code provisions and practice. It had ordinary masonry shear walls with single grouted vertical cells and bond beams. In the second phase, a building with improved design details was examined. The second building (Specimen 2) had the same design as the first except it had double side-by-side vertical grouted cells instead of separated single vertically grouted cells as well as ladder-type joint reinforcement placed in the every bed-joint. The objective of the second phase of shake table testing was to assess whether the second structure would show improved seismic performance compared to the first structure. Indeed, the double vertical grouted cells enhanced the seismic performance and increased the ductility of the structure.