A 5-story full-scale reinforced masonry research building test is undertaken in this project. This is the final research project under the TCCMAR program which will enable the limit state masonry design guideline and analytical model verification to be completed. The research building under testing consists of a 5-story coupled shear wall structure which will allow a ductile system behavior while providing a complex test bed for so far unanswered analytical and design model verification in areas such as effective width of flanged walls and floor diaphragms, coupling effects of floors, as well as higher mode effects on design shear forces. The experiments will be conducted in the Charles Lee Powell Structural Laboratory at the University of California, San Diego using the pseudo-dynamic testing facilities. The basic objectives of the research are to test the TCCMAR design philosophy and recommendation for seismic reinforced masonry structures and provide a viable experimental verification of the analytical procedures developed. The research will also provide insight into the higher mode effects as they are encountered in some of the current design practice. It is also expected to contribute to the development of repair, retrofit and strengthening measures for existing masonry structures. This project is the capstone of the TCCMAR Program which will be drawn into a successful completion with this project and the concurrent effort in developing the limit state design standards underway through a separate companion project.
