Numerical simulation of shaking table test on an adobe masonry building through nonlinear macro-element analysis

Earthen constructions are often built in seismic areas, notwithstanding their vulnerability to even low-intensity earthquakes. Numerical simulations and design methods to predict the seismic response of earthen constructions under future earthquakes and, if any, to design and implement retrofitting systems are hence required. This study aims at evaluating the applicability of the equivalent frame method (EFM) to assess the seismic performance of adobe masonry buildings through nonlinear static analysis, allowing a trade-off between computational efficiency and accuracy in the simulation of earthquake damage. Experimental results of shaking table tests performed on a half-scale adobe building specimen were compared to the output of numerical simulations performed on the prototype building through the EFM. A satisfactory numerical-experimental agreement was found both in terms of seismic capacity features and damage to load-bearing walls. Such results indicate that the EFM can be suitably used also in adobe buildings, hence confirming previous validations on other building typologies.