SEISMIC VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING MASONRY BUILDINGS: A COMPARISON BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT MODELING APPROACHES

Seismic vulnerability assessment of existing masonry buildings requires to implement numerical models that are both reliable and computationally efficient. To date various modeling approaches have been proposed in literature in order to evaluate the global response of such structures within a Finite Element Model (FEM) approach, such as the Equivalent Frame Model (EFM) and the Continuum Model (CM). The first is based on a simplified scheme comprising a system of mono-dimensional non-linear frame elements (such as piers and spandrels), by obtaining a significant structure simplification with an important reduction of the computational costs. Whereas, the second approach involves to model the structure through two- or three-dimensional continuum finite elements (as shell or solid). In this way a more refined model is obtained, even if the computational burden is drastically incremented and a large amount of data is required, too. The paper presents a comparison between the two modeling approaches described above, used to implement and to analyze a case study, an existing masonry building located in Italy being irregular both in plan, since it is L-shaped, and in the elevation. Non-linear pushover static analyses are performed, and comparisons among the obtained results by means of both the models considered are shown and commented.