What the study found
A calibrated single-strut macro-model can reproduce the seismic response of lightweight masonry-infilled reinforced concrete (RC) frames with high accuracy. The model was validated for hollow clay bricks (HCB), gypsum blocks (GB), and autoclaved lightweight concrete (ALC) panels.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors say the method provides a reliable tool for performance-based design and analysis. They also state that it can help engineers run parametric studies and assess the seismic suitability of different infill systems at lower cost and in less time than full-scale testing.
What the researchers tested
The researchers developed an advanced single-strut macro-model in SAP2000, a structural analysis program, and added material-specific nonlinear axial hinges. They calibrated the model against full-scale experimental data from Cai et al. (2019) to capture crushing in HCB, shear-sliding in GB, and slip-hardening in ALC.
What worked and what didn't
The calibrated model had errors below 10% in both lateral capacity and initial stiffness for all three systems. In the comparative seismic assessment, HCB infills increased initial stiffness by 471% but failed in a brittle way, while ALC panels showed greater ductility (µ = 5.39) and stable energy dissipation up to 4.06% drift. The gypsum system showed abrupt strength degradation and was described as seismically inadequate.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe additional limitations beyond the calibration and validation dataset used. The findings are based on a specific set of lightweight infill systems and on the cited full-scale experimental dataset.
Key points
- A calibrated single-strut macro-model was validated for HCB, GB, and ALC infilled RC frames.
- Model errors in lateral capacity and initial stiffness were below 10% for all systems.
- HCB infills increased initial stiffness by 471% but failed in a brittle way.
- ALC panels showed the highest ductility reported in the abstract (µ = 5.39) and stable energy dissipation up to 4.06% drift.
- The gypsum system showed abrupt strength degradation and was described as seismically inadequate.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Validated single-strut model captures infilled RC frame seismic behavior
- Authors:
- Gehad Abou El-fotuh, Walid A. Attia, M. S. El-Feky
- Institutions:
- Cairo University, Higher Institute of Engineering, Heliopolis University, National Research Centre
- Publication date:
- 2026-01-27
- OpenAlex record:
- View
Get the weekly research newsletter
Stay current with peer-reviewed research without reading academic papers — one filtered digest, every Friday.