Masonry walls with irregular texture of L’Aquila (Italy) seismic area: validation of a method for the evaluation of masonry quality

The paper presents results of a study on mechanical characterization of the historical masonry walls in L’Aquila region (central Italy), heavily damaged by the 2009 earthquake. Five recurrent types of wall textures are identified and characterized by the stonework sections, and flat-jack tests were carried out on representative walls in order to investigate the mechanical properties. Experimental results showed a good agreement with the estimation determined through a method for the assessment of masonry quality based on a Masonry Quality Index. The study permitted the collection of data useful for designing the seismic improvement of historical masonry buildings.