Practical modelling issues for masonry building retrofitted with squat shear wall

Damage observed following moderate to large earthquakes has shown masonry buildings are vulnerable to lateral shaking. The results of statistical analyses in Iran show that 90% of schools in the retrofitting list are unreinforced masonry buildings. A Practical Guideline for Seismic Rehabilitation of Masonry Schools has been published in Iran. This guideline proposed 2 retrofitting methods for retrofitting masonry schools: use of shear wall and shotcreting the perimeter of building. In the case of shear wall, their construction is usually expensive; there are less projects retrofitted by shear walls, and in most retrofitting masonry schools projects, perimeter shotcrete is used. The main aim of this study is offering recommendation to improve this guideline, resulting in more economical approaches. This study proposes including lateral resistance of masonry walls in resisting seismic loads and in the case of shear wall foundation proposes strip shallow foundation for concrete shear walls by including effect of rocking, sliding, and settlement response. It has been shown that with including masonry walls in lateral resistance of building, a considerable reduction in maximum drift occurred. Interaction of soil and structure by considered strip shallow foundation reduces the base shear and increases maximum drift of the building.