Enhancing the Seismic Resilience of Masonry‐Infilled RC Structures Using Rubber Joints: Full‐Scale 3D Shaking Table Tests

ABSTRACT Masonry infills in reinforced concrete (RC) frames are highly vulnerable to seismic damage, often sustaining severe cracking even under moderate ground motion, which in turn leads to considerable economic losses and safety risks. To address this issue, this study experimentally evaluates the effectiveness of two innovative rubber‐based joints developed to enhance the seismic performance of masonry infilled RC frames. Two identical RC frame prototypes with hollow clay brick infills were constructed and subjected to shake‐table tests with progressively increasing seismic inputs. The first model (M1) incorporated horizontal and vertical rubber joints designed to enhance the panel's flexibility and the system's energy dissipation capability. The second model (M2) utilized recycled‐rubber joints (INODIS) to achieve complete decoupling of the masonry infill from the RC frame, with the objective of eliminating infill participation in the structural response and streamlining the seismic design strategy. Both systems performed very well in minimizing infill damage under severe earthquakes. The M1 configuration was able to control both interstorey drifts and accelerations under very large seismic inputs, thanks to the additional stiffness and damping provided by the panel‐joint system. In contrast, the M2 configuration exhibited greater deformability, with the frame reaching high drift demands due to the isolation system that significantly reduced the panel's contribution to the global response. This work presents the first direct full‐scale experimental comparison of flexible and decoupling rubber joint strategies for seismic protection of masonry‐infilled RC frames, providing critical evidence to support future validations at building scale.