Evaluation of Structural Integrity of Damaged Masonry Building

Abstract

Masonry buildings represent the earlier building tradition in Egypt. The majority of the older building stock is of unreinforced masonry, some of which is worth preserving as part of the cultural heritage. Deterioration of the elements of such buildings are due to aging and environmental effects, lack of proper maintenance, as well as natural hazards. This paper reports on the structural integrity of a large masonry building damaged by the October 1992 Dahshour earthquake near Cario, Egypt. Analysis of the structure highlighted several elements that helped improve the overall behavior and control the extent of cracking. Although damage was mainly due to the seismic loading, some of the damage was not earthquake-related. Damage assessment of the building indicated typical damage to unreinforced masonry structures. Several retrofit techniques are studied and the one thought to be most suitable is presented.