asonry infill in reinforced concrete frames has been recognised as being a strong factor influ-
encing the seismic behaviour of buildings. Therefore, the development of innovative infill systems, coupled
with the rigorous study of their behaviour, is of significant importance. Within the framework of the IN-
SYSME project (http://www.insysme.eu/), a new infill system was designed and tested. The defining feature
of the system, composed of clay units, is the division of the masonry wall into smaller, and thus more flexible,
wallettes separated by vertical joints. The frames are subjected to in-plane cyclic shear loading to the point of
irreversible damage of the masonry. Subsequently, the experiments are simulated using nonlinear finite ele-
ment analysis in an effort to highlight the features of the response of the actual structure, to predict the maxi-
mum force and to reproduce the failure modPostprint (published version