Seismic Assessment Procedures for Flexible Timber Diaphragms

A review of the available procedures and guidelines for the in-plane assessment of existing timber diaphragms in unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings is provided. Most of the provisions that concern flexible wood floors and that are valid for URM, can as a matter of fact be adopted for historic masonry buildings reinforced with timber frames. Recommendations from the most recent international standards like ASCE 41-13 and NZSEE 2015 were thoroughly analysed. Particular attention was given to producing a step-by-step practice-oriented guideline that provides background information which helps understand better the procedure frame work and also gives suggestions for alternative interpretations when multiple choices are possible.