Timber-Based Integrated Solutions for the Seismic Retrofit of Urm Walls

The present study aims at investigating the effectiveness of various timber-based solutions for the seismic and energy retrofit of unreinforced masonry buildings considering various case scenarios and evaluating both the mechanical and the energetic performance of the intervention. Timber engineered products were employed as base-components for the retrofit intervention. The products include both one-dimensional vertical elements (strong-backs) and two-dimensional panels (cross laminated timber panels, laminated veneer lumber panels, and oriented strand board panels). The strengthening techniques studied herein have a common root, which consists of connecting such timber-based elements to the surface of the walls of a building by using mechanical or adhesive point-to-point connections. The analysed solutions see the use of strong-backs and timber panels combined with membranes and insulation layers to obtain integrated and highly efficient interventions. The mechanical and the thermal response of the retrofitted walls was assessed by means of finite element modelling. The outcomes obtained for the various techniques were thoroughly compared to determine the best performing solution for any given scenario.