ABSTRACT
This chapter assesses the compression behaviour of Tabique Walls (TW) through experimental testing on full scale specimens, contributing also to a higher appraisal and preservation of timber walls. The rehabilitation of old buildings is becoming a priority issue in Portugal. It's a process that demands the assessment of the state of conservation and the understanding of the mechanical behaviour of the materials and structural elements that constitute these buildings. Timber walls made of vertical and, sometimes, diagonal boards, and referred to a TW, are present in most of the buildings built till the 40s-50s of the last century in Portugal and represent a very important constructive and cultural element. The double TW, with double thickness, responded with a critical load that is only 15% higher than the critical load of the simple TW, showing that the participation of the diagonal boards on the vertical capacity of the TW is much lower than that of the vertical boards.
