Abstract

This article evaluates the cyclic behaviour of a prototype of a precast ferrocement house, which is assembled using precast thin walls, in order to identify its structural parameters and propose a nonlinear dynamical model which is able to simulate the behaviour of those houses when subjected to seismic loading. For this purpose, a full-scale precast ferrocement house was tested under cyclic loading conditions. From the experimental results, the hysteretic behaviour, the elastic stiffness, the shear resistance, the maximum strength, the ductility, the energy dissipation, the equivalent damping and its coefficient of energy dissipation were assessed; those parameters are needed in order to evaluate the dynamic behaviour of ferrocement dwellings when subjected to earthquakes. At the end, the Bouc-Wen-Baber-Noori (BWBN) model of hysteresis was implemented. The model allowed performing the seismic evaluation of the precast ferrocement house under seismic activity.