Evaluation of Seismic Code Regulations on Typical Veneer Walls

The paper deals with the implications of Eurocode 8 and Eurocode 6 for a typical modern type Norwegian veneer wall. Such a wall consists of a masonry leaf supported by a backup wall assembled by timber studs. The out-of-plane seismic performance of a veneer wall, in accordance with design requirements and current construction practice, is investigated. Simplified transient dynamic two-dimensional FEM analyses are performed to assess the capacity of anchorage ties due to seismic excitations at selected locations in Norway. The excitations are represented by artificial time histories of ground accelerations consistent with the requirements in Eurocode 8. The analyses results indicate that the resistance of typical veneer walls seems to be somewhat insufficient, except for areas with low seismicity. Recent laboratory experiments of tie-resistance suggest however that the structural capacity of anchorage ties in typical veneer walls subjected earthquakes is adequate for all parts of the country.