Large Scale Testing of Hybrid Masonry

A large-scale specimen underwent testing at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the Multi-Axial Full-Scale Sub-Structured Testing and Simulation (MUST-SIM) facility, which is part of the National Science Foundation (NSF) George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES). The specimen consisted of a frame with a masonry panel height-to-length aspect ratio of 1.0. Different types of masonry panels and connector elements were the subject of investigations. Loading and Boundary Condition Boxes (LBCBs) in the MUST-SIM facility were used to apply vertical load, lateral load, and release the overturning moment on the structure to evaluate the behavior and performance of the test specimens under various loading conditions. Instrumentation, such as strain gages, displacement transducers, and an advanced noncontact coordinate measurement system, were tracking the displacements and strains in the system for the purpose of determining the load path, developing design guidelines, and calibrating analytical models.