Out-of-Plane Capacity and Rehabilitation of Partial Height Masonry Partitions

This project examined the behavior of nonstructural components present in essential facilities in Mid-America. School buildings were chosen for detailed studies because of the vulnerability of their occupants and the importance of these particular facilities to post earthquake emergency response. An inventory of nonstructural components was made for this class of essential facilities using the categorization of components developed by FEMA. In addition, the results of an inventory of schools and other essential facilities from Project SE-1 (Inventories of Essential Facilities in Mid-America) were used in this study. Partial height interior unreinforced masonry walls were found in many schools and because of their clear vulnerability to seismic forces were selected as the focus of this study. The primary objective of the present investigation was to evaluate and then suggest retrofit strategies for these components to enable them to meet the life safety and/or immediate occupancy performance levels specified in current FEMA guidelines. Additional objectives were to assess the accuracy of current evaluation methods recommended by FEMA and if necessary to develop improved analysis procedures, rehabilitation guidelines, and performance measures.published or submitted for publicatio