Seismic Performance Improvement Techniques for Infill Frames—A Review

Masonry infill walls are commonly used as external walls and partition walls in RC frame buildings. RC frames in earthquake regions are usually designed with higher ductility and hence undergo large displacements under horizontal loading which lead to a rapid activation of the significantly stiffer infills. This activation generates an undesired interaction between the frame and the infill resulting in the participation of the masonry infills for load transfer. The seismic performance of masonry infill walls under earthquake loading have been studied experimentally and analytically. Damages under in-plane loading are found to escalate the out-of plane response. Over the years the studies have been extended from steel frames to RC frames and the infill materials have been varied from masonry infill to concrete panels. However, the studies are particularly focused on masonry infill units. With the rising concern for environmental pollution control, alternative green materials are also being recommended as infills. This paper presents a review on the techniques that have been developed to improve the seismic performance of infilled frames. It can be achieved by providing a rigid connection between the infill and the frame or by completely isolating the infill walls from the surrounding frame and by using seismic isolation elements.