Systematic review of experimental testing of masonry walls’ failure: Comparative analysis and future directions

The assessment of unreinforced masonry (URM) walls often involves experimental characterisation of their in-plane (IP) and out-of-plane (OOP) failure. While IP and OOP testing of URM walls is common, standardised testing methods are lacking, resulting in varied approaches. This study thus presents a systematic review of 54 selected articles to examine different masonry testing procedures through an analysis of specimen characterisation, testing arrangements, loading rate and failure patterns across various studies. The review highlights disparities in experimental approaches and stresses the need for uniform testing procedures or standardisation protocol to ensure consistency and reliability. Significantly, the review identifies a tendency to overlook real-world scenarios in testing, emphasising the importance of addressing this gap for comprehensive assessment of masonry walls. The study recommends further experimental studies on the effect of openings on walls, and the interaction between masonry walls and the slabs/connections with other walls/ring beams to enrich masonry behaviour understanding through both experimental and numerical approaches.