In-plane capacity of beam and block floor systems: an in-field experimental study

The evaluation of the in-plane capacity of existing floors is of fundamental importance both in the seismic vulnerability assessment and in the retrofit design, especially when retrofit interventions are carried out from the outside of the buildings. Such interventions are particularly appreciated nowadays as they overcome the major problem of the relocation of the inhabitants, but they may be hindered by the need to strengthen the floors. In this paper, the outcomes of an in-field experimental study are discussed, which is aimed at investigating the in-plane capacity of a floor, consisting in RC beam and clay block floor systems without additional extrados RC slab. The conceptual design of the testing bench and the main results of the experimental study are discussed. Based on the experimental results, a simplified model is proposed to estimate the ultimate capacity of existing floors.