Author
FARSHIDNIA, P.; KOLBITSCH, A.
Vienna University of Technology, Institute of Building Construction and Technology

Abstract
Masonry infills have often been treated as nonstructural elements, and their structural presence is frequently ignored by engineers. The infill panels may interact with bounding frames when the structure is subjected to strong lateral loads induced by seismic load. Such interaction shows some positive and negative effects of the structure and has been the subject of many debates. In this study, three different numerical modeling techniques are used (simplified micro-modeling, macro-modeling, and equivalent strut methods) and the results of FEA analyses (pushover analysis) are compared for all three idealizations. The results of the finite element analysis are also compared with distinct analytical approaches recommended by previous research to evaluate the most suitable approaches. This study should indicate (i) the cases in which simple models are providing reasonable approximations and the cases in which they are not, (ii) the cases in which simple models would give conservative results, (iii) what the missing components in simple models are.

Key words
infill panel, masonry infill, RC frames, lateral load, finite element analyses