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INSYSME - INNOVATIVE SYSTEMS FOR EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT MASONRY ENCLOSURES IN RC BUILDINGS

INSYSME is a Research Project for the benefit of SME Associations with a budget near to 2,7 million Euros, co-funded for about 1,8 million Euros by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme “Capacities”. The project started on October 2013 and, with a three-year duration, aims at developing innovative systems for earthquake resistant masonry enclosures in RC buildings. The research will offer novel solutions to scientific and technological problems that have a broad-spectrum impact, creating new opportunities for the masonry industry and the construction sector.

'''OBJECTIVES '''

The project’s main objectives are:
 * developing innovative systems for masonry enclosures, used in façades, envelopes and internal partitions of reinforced concrete framed buildings;
 * deriving sound concepts for their analysis;
 * developing reliable, simple and efficient methods for their design in the everyday engineering practice.

In terms of healthy indoor environment, thermal and acoustic insulation, moisture control, fire resistance and durability, masonry enclosure systems have excellent performance. However, they need to be checked against excessive damage and potential out-of-plane collapse, since they can play a structural role in the overall seismic behaviour of buildings, as proven by recent earthquakes. To this regard, INSYSME introduces a new approach because masonry enclosures used to be considered non-load-bearing non-structural elements, while the project reconsiders their structural role, in order to establish reliable analysis and design procedures and to provide background for an update of current structural codes. The adopted approach starts from material and technology development, proceeds with the demonstration of technical and economic feasibility of the envisaged construction systems through parallel experimental and theoretical studies and is validated by prototype constructions. Experimental and numerical characterization aims at deriving structural requirements of masonry infill walls, as well as tools and methods for their assessment.