Verifying the shear load capacity of horizontally reinforced masonry walls by the VRd–NEd interaction diagram.

Reinforcement which can be placed in both vertical and horizontal position, or either in vertical or horizontal position, is among the methods intended to improve resistance of masonry structures. Masonry resistance VRd depends not only on geometrical properties and mechanical quantities of reinforcement, but also on imposed loads. This paper describes principles of verifying resistance of masonry walls subjected to horizontal and vertical loading in accordance with EN 1996-1-1:2010 and the draft version of Eurocode 6 (prEN 1996-1-1:2017), These standards specify three methods for positioning reinforcement: the V method only for vertical reinforcement, the VH method that includes both vertical and horizontal reinforcement, and the H method only for horizontal reinforcement. Each of them can be subdivided into cases a, b, and c which differ in the course of standard stresses in a crack. This paper focuses only on the H method and presents necessary equations that have been set up to determine resistance of the section against vertical loading NEd. There are also shown reference diagrams of interaction of a wall section with horizontal reinforcement. Factors affecting resistance of horizontally reinforced masonry wall are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]