Behaviour of Steel Plate Bracing with infill Masonry Walls

[canstruct]

Hi Guys,

We have a situation where block masonry can't resist the required seismic force and we need the conventional steel bracing. But the problem is architect want to infill this with concrete block. I am proposing steel plates, so that the block can be cut with slotted portion at the location of the bracing. I am just wondering how it behaves as the frame for bracing is steel and do we need to separate the both systems to avoid crack in masonry assuming full seismic loading occurs.

Secondly assuming there is no brace, just the masonry infill wall. How we connect the steel with masonry.

Appreciate if somebody can help in these matters.

 

[civilperson]

Weld rebars to exterior frame for both the horizontal bars and vertical bars. Note that a seismic event may require replacement/repair of infill block wall.

 

[msquared48]

Where is this masonry in the structure? Interior or exterior, high or low? If it fails, being an infill, non-structural component of the building, could anyone be endangered? Is it in a remote location of the structure?

Mike McCann
McCann Engineering