This study investigates the influence of high-ductility concrete (HDC) strengthening configurations and steel connector positions on the in-plane shear performance of masonry walls in a retrofit scenario where the external masonry facade is retained while the original masonry wall is transformed into a steel frame-supported system, with steel connectors linking the exterior masonry to the interior frame. The experimental results demonstrate that HDC strengthening significantly enhances shear capacity by 17.1% to 98.4% compared to the unstrengthened reference wall. Internal HDC strengthening outperforms external strengthening by 40.1%, while double-sided strengthening provides a further 69.4% improvement over single-sided configurations. Additionally, perforation through brick centers (C-type) yields 104% higher cracking load and 26.8% higher peak load than perforation along mortar joints (J-type). The strengthening approach also markedly improves ductility, transforming brittle failure into ductile behavior. These findings provide a technical foundation for applying HDC in the seismic retrofitting of existing masonry buildings, including industrial and civil structures as well as substation masonry enclosures.
Climate change is posing new challenges for the design of civil engineering both in terms of accelerated material degradation processes and shifts in the frequency and intensity of climate extremes. While recent studies have emphasised the impact of climate change on climate extremes, existing European climatic load maps used for structural design often remain outdated, unable to incorporate recent observations and future climate scenarios. To address these issues, the second generation of Structural Eurocodes, now under publication, have introduced climate adaptation measures, notably the scaling factor approach, to account for projected changes in climatic actions on structures. This paper presents the rationale behind the scaling factor approach, its integration into EN1991 Actions on Structures, and a pilot application involving the update of thermal maps in the Italian National Annex to EN1991-1-5:2004, highlighting a cost-effective pathway toward climate-resilient structural design.
