Structural Performance of Tall Buildings with Bracing and Infill Walls Under Lateral Loads: A Review

High-rise buildings are particularly susceptible to lateral forces induced by seismic and wind loads, which often govern their overall performance and safety. Conventional reinforced concrete (RC) frames, although effective in carrying vertical loads, lack sufficient stiffness to resist such lateral actions, making them prone to excessive displacement, inter-story drift, and even structural instability. To address these challenges, lateral load resisting elements such as masonry infill walls and steel bracing systems are increasingly incorporated into RC frames to enhance seismic resistance. This paper presents a comparative study on the effectiveness of different lateral load resisting systems in improving the seismic performance of high-rise buildings. The investigation considers three structural configurations: bare frame, masonry infilled frame, and externally braced frame with X-bracing. A 12-story reinforced concrete building model (R+12) with 3 m floor height is analyzed using CSI ETABS software under seismic Zone V conditions and response spectrum analysis for soft soil. Key performance parameters including base shear, lateral displacement, inter-story drift, and moment distribution are evaluated to assess the influence of each system on overall seismic behavior. The results reveal that the inclusion of masonry infill significantly reduces the demands on beams and columns by increasing lateral stiffness and redistributing forces. However, the most notable improvement is observed with the use of external steel bracing, particularly X-braces, which provide superior stability and effectively minimize displacements. Steel-braced frames also demonstrate greater cost-efficiency compared to masonry infill, while ensuring higher ductility and energy dissipation. In comparison, bare frames exhibit the least stability and maximum lateral displacements. Overall, the study confirms that lateral load resisting elements play a crucial role in enhancing the seismic performance of RC frames, with steel bracing emerging as the most effective solution, followed by masonry infill..