ORGANIC-BASED ENHANCED COMPRESSED EARTH BRICK-MASONRY PANELS SUBJECTED TO SEISMIC LOADINGS: EXPERIMENTAL TESTS AND NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS

Jones C.L.; Chácara C.; Panto B. · COMPDYN Proceedings (2025) · DOI: 10.7712/120125.12563.25918

Resumen

Clay brick masonry is one of the most employed construction materials in many countries worldwide. This material presents numerous advantages, such as low construction costs and durability. However, the manufacturing firing process of clay bricks is an energy-intensive process responsible for considerable direct and indirect CO2 emissions, impacting the environment. In this regard, unfired Compressed Earth Bricks (CEBs) can represent a sustainable technique for building residential and civil structures, drastically reducing the environmental impact of the architectural and construction sector and increasing the use of renewable resources, promoting a circular economy. This paper investigates the seismic performance of a typology of CEB-masonry panels reinforced with natural fibres and equipped with interlocking dry joints. Experimental tests are conducted to characterise the fibre-reinforced soil material and the main strength parameters of the bricks and the dry-joints. Subsequently, numerical models are used to perform monotonic pushover analyses on panels with different boundary and loading conditions to evaluate the performance of the proposed construction technique. The results of the numerical simulations showed good structural performance of the proposed technique, confirming its applicability for building sustainable seismic-resistant constructions.

Instituciones: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú