Book Description

Masonry is one of the most widely used construction materials in the world. Incorporating post-tensioning into masonry offers a simple and cost-effective structural system. The post-tensioning techniques can be applied to different types of masonry members as either bonded or unbonded reinforcement. Recent research has demonstrated that unbonded post-tensioned structural elements including concrete walls, concrete columns, and masonry walls can display high ductility levels while withstanding high levels of seismic loads. When an unbonded post-tensioned masonry wall (PT-MW) is subjected to a lateral in-plane load, a single horizontal crack forms at the wall-foundation interface. The restoring nature of the post-tensioning (PT) force returns the wall to its original vertical position and minimizes the residual displacement. This behavior is specifically favorable for structures which are designed for immediate occupancy performance levels. The rocking mechanism of PT-MWs results in plastic deformation concentrated at the toe of the wall which can be repaired with minimal cost. While in members having bonded PT bars, the force developed in PT bars can be determined considering strain compatibility and equilibrium; for members having unbonded PT bars, theoretical evaluation of the stress developed in PT bars is challenging as it depends on the elongation of the unbonded PT bar. This study aims to get a better understanding of the in-plane behavior of PT-MWs.