Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Structures, cilt.80, ss.1-23, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
Accurate estimation of the
shear strength of masonry and infill walls is crucial for evaluating the
seismic performance of structures. According to ASTM E519, specimens with
minimum dimensions of 120×120 cm are recommended to determine the shear
strength of these walls. However, many studies employ smaller specimens due
to practical limitations such as cost, workmanship, ease of application, and laboratory
constraints. Recent studies (e.g., Dorji et al., 2022; Gupta et al., 2023) emphasize
the need for further experimental data to assess how specimen size affects
measured shear strength. In response to this requirement, the present study
investigates the influence of reduced-size specimens on the shear strength of
Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) masonry walls through experimental testing. AAC
blocks, widely preferred for their thermal insulation, fire resistance, ease of
handling, and low density, were used as the unit material. Experimental results
show that smaller specimens tend to exhibit higher shear strengths than the
standard-sized ones, and these findings are presented graphically. Furthermore,
a conversion equation is proposed to estimate the shear strength of standard-sized
specimens based on the observed trends. Finally, complementary numerical
analyses were conducted to support the experimental results and to evaluate
intermediate and larger specimen sizes that could not be tested in the
laboratory.