The Use of Joint Reinforcement in Qualifying Masonry Walls in Nuclear Power Plants

by H. G. Harris, Drexel Univ, Dep of Civil, Engineering, Philadelphia, PA, USA,
A. A. Hamid, Drexel Univ, Dep of Civil, Engineering, Philadelphia, PA, USA,
I. J. Becica, Drexel Univ, Dep of Civil, Engineering, Philadelphia, PA, USA,
V. N. Con, Drexel Univ, Dep of Civil, Engineering, Philadelphia, PA, USA,
N. C. Chokshi, Drexel Univ, Dep of Civil, Engineering, Philadelphia, PA, USA,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Structural Engineering in Nuclear Facilities

Abstract:

Wire joint reinforcement has been traditionally used in block masonry walls for crack control and to provide continuity for multiple wythe walls. In a number of nuclear power plants, vertically unreinforced masonry walls that failed to meet the code allowable stresses for unreinforced masonry were qualified using joint reinforcement as a structural steel to carry lateral loads in the horizontal direction. It is the objective of this paper to examine the adequacy of this approach for seismic load application. A state-of-the-art review of available test data and code design provision will be presented. It is concluded that the use of joint reinforcement to resist tensile stresses due to seismic loading is questionable because of the lack of test data available and especially the characterization of the cyclic behavior of joint reinforced masonry walls. Further research in this area is recommended.

Subject Headings: Walls | Seismic loads | Masonry | Power plants | Lateral loads | Joints | Seismic tests

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