Confined masonry is a time tested method that has been traditionally adopted worldwide in high seismic regions. Experiences from past earthquakes suggest that this method of construction helps prevent collapse of houses, and therefore should be encouraged worldwide. As part of the effort to popularise this type of construction, this document prepared by Dr.Svetlana Brzev, Visiting Professor, Civil Engineering, IIT Gandhinagar, Gujrat, India and Dr. Keya Mitra, Professor, Department of Architecture, Town and Regional Planning Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology Shibpur, West Bengal, India. This document presents confined mansonry construction as an alternative form of masonry construction in seismic areas. It contains a review of the international state-of-the-practice as well as guidelines for construction of new structures by this method.
The preparation of this document was supported by the Centre for Safety Engineering, IIT Gandhinagar, Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council, New Delhi and the National Information Center of Earthquake Engineering, IIT Kanpur.