Experimental pseudo-static tests aimed at investigating the influence of boundary conditions on the out-of-plane response of unreinforced masonry (URM) infill walls in terms of stiffness, strength and displacement capacity are presented. URM infills bounded to the confining Reinforced Concrete frame along two, three or four edges are tested. Predictions of literature formulations are compared to experimental values of strength and secant stiffness at first macro-cracking and peak load. Models predicting displacement capacity are discussed and interpreted based on the experimental results presented.

This study investigates the seismic response of reinforced concrete buildings designed according to Italian regulations and construction practices for three different post-WWII periods, up to the 1990s. Additional key investigated parameters are the number of stories and the site hazard. The main issues related to non-seismic and early seismic design practices are discussed. The study compares the seismic response of the buildings, investigated through nonlinear static and dynamic analyses, with reference to two performance levels, confirming and quantifying the increase in performance with the design codes evolution. The seismic behavior of infilled frames is investigated in the companion paper.