The paper is aimed at evaluating the seismic response of simple masonry buildings complying with the rules provided by the new Italian national seismic code. Only a few of examined buildings fulfil the Eurocode 8 requirements. The buildings have two or three stories and differ in plan and wall geometry. Initially, the requirements for simple masonry buildings provided by Italian seismic code and Eurocode 8 are coMPared. Subsequently, results from nonlinear static analyses and modal response spectrum analyses are presented. Influence of accelera- tion at site and masonry strength is also assessed. Indications on the congruence between code rules and results from numerical analyses performed according to the code themselves are supplied. The results show that Eurocode 8 provisions seem to be more appropriate and safe, especially in the case of low masonry strength.
