Keywords: Timber Frames, Masonry, Seismic analysis

Abstract: Like in many places around the world, before using reinforced concrete, in Romania, most buildings were made of timber frames and different types of infill. As the technology evolved, this type of structure has not been used so much anymore and construction method is rarely remembered correctly. But recently, traditional houses’ architecture started to draw attention for owners, and moreover, the fact that it in- volves natural materials makes it even more attractive. At this moment, in Romania, for this type of structures there is no specific design method specified in the national Code P100-1/2013, and also no evaluation procedures for this existent type of building. This fact motivated the present study and after a field study near Vrancea seismic source area, three categories of structures based on timber frames and different types of infills (masonry, wattle and daub, earth) were found and focused on. This paper presents the results of a simple modeling using a finite element program ETABS, calibrated to an existing experimental test, previously conducted in Japan, on a timber framed masonry wall. The same wall was evaluated according to the existing regulations in Romania, to check the accuracy of the evalua- tion results. The comparison can be made because the general mechanical principles were of the wall configuration studied in Japan, are also valid for the Romanian traditional houses.

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