Masonry‐infilled timber frames are widely used for residential houses in underdeveloped rural and mountainous areas in southwestern China. As suggested by the identified dynamic properties of three typical timber houses of this type, the structure can be taken as a dual system in which the masonry infills provide the most lateral resistance, while the timber frame withstands the vertical loads. The seismic damage to the houses, either of masonry or of masonry‐infilled timber structures, in a small town near the epicenter of the 2013 M7.0 Lushan earthquake in southwestern China was inspected and compared, in order to show that the masonry‐infilled timber houses exhibited much better seismic performance than the unreinforced masonry ones during the earthquake.

The good in-plane behavior of timber frames with masonry infills, characterized by an excellent ductility capacity, is presented and explained as observed during static cyclic experimental tests on wall panels. The aim of the study was to characterize the seismic behavior of the timber frames with rectangular masonry infill panels (without timber diagonals). Tests of materials and subassemblies were performed to identify the parameters influencing the performance of the system. Thus, the contribution of each component (masonry, timber) in the lateral force–resisting mechanism, the local interaction between masonry and timber elements, and final failure pattern are highlighted in this paper. A numerical model of the wall panel with masonry infill is described, as it was developed with FINAL v11 software, and it reasonably matches with experimental results.

Traditional houses represent landmarks of local cultures all over the world. In seismically prone countries, the traditional timber frames with different types of infills have shown quite good earthquake resilience, an essential feature considering their large number, their simplicity and their reduced cost, owing to the use of local materials and workmanship. In fact, their seismic behavior fostered the interest in further scientific research, including that addressing engineering aspects. Because of their diversity in layout and detailing, noticeable even among houses in the same area, developing general methods to preserve and strengthen such buildings is still a difficult task. This paper presents an overview of the traditional building construction techniques in Romania, focusing on the structural configuration and detailing of the so-called paiantă houses. Largely used all over the country, these houses have shown that they can generally withstand earthquakes at least without collapsing and, most frequently, with minor or repairable damage. Their preservation is nowadays a major challenge, as they are being gradually either demolished and replaced, or retrofitted by using invasive techniques. Their cultural and heritage value is undeniable, and there are still many things to be learned from the past craftsmanship and re-valuated in the future. Three case studies of rural buildings located in different areas of the country were chosen among the most widespread paiantă versions, and comprehensive engineering assessments were conducted to identify their detailing and degradations. Based on the most common degradations, the conclusions drawn from this study can be used to substantiate further research aimed at selecting the most appropriate construction and strengthening techniques.

A recent study in Bucharest emphasised the need to rehabilitate 392 vulnerable buildings, but when investing in seismic strengthening, the authorities are facing both financial and technical obstacles. For this reason the present paper is studying the possibility to use the incremental seismic rehabilitation (ISR) method to Romanian damaged and/or vulnerable buildings that present a higher risk of collapse in case of a major earthquake. Also, it proposes a tool having as base the critical path method to help the implementation of ISR methodology.