Toward Shake Table Testing: Preliminary Numerical Study on Seismic Retrofit Interventions for Masonry Buildings

This paper presents a preliminary numerical investigation in preparation for the shake table testing of an unreinforced masonry specimen. The structure is designed to be representative of existing heritage buildings in central Italy. The study explores the impact of different retrofitting strategies, including floor stiffness and floor-to-wall connection. A detailed 3D finite element model of the prototype structure is developed using the STKO platform for OpenSees and subjected to nonlinear dynamic analyses. The effectiveness of each intervention is assessed in terms of damage onset and propagation, and the results are compared to the unreinforced case. The findings offer valuable feedback to guide the design of the specimen for the upcoming shake table test but also provide thoughtful overview about the impact of the different interventions to the seismic performance.