Assessment of seismic fragility of 3D reinforced concrete structures with masonry infill walls under different distribution arrangements

This study investigates the seismic performance of reinforced concrete structures with masonry infill walls under different distribution arrangements. Over the past six decades, the interaction between reinforced concrete frames and infill walls has been crucial due to its impact on structural behavior during earthquakes. This study utilizes pushover and fragility analyses to assess the effects of various infill wall distributions on reinforced concrete frames. The results demonstrate that the presence of infill walls significantly enhances lateral stiffness and alters the overall structural response. Results indicate that symmetrically distributed infill walls significantly increase lateral stiffness and base shear capacity compared to models without infill walls, while asymmetrical or partially filled models show lesser improvements. Fragility analysis shows varying collapse probabilities and damage susceptibility based on infill wall distribution, with symmetric arrangements demonstrating lower collapse likelihood and higher safety levels. Models with infill walls on one side or lacking them on the ground floor exhibit higher fragility, especially under severe damage scenarios, highlighting the critical role of symmetric infill wall placement in enhancing seismic resilience and ensuring building safety in earthquake-prone regions.