Author

GATTESCO, N.; DUDINE A.

University of Trieste, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Abstract

In the paper the results of a broad experimental investigation carried out on masonry specimens strengthened with a thin mortar coating on both surfaces reinforced with a glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) mesh are presented. A parametric study is carried out considering five different GFRP meshes, three different types of mortar for the masonry, four different types of masonry. In particular solid brick masonry 250 mm and 380 mm thick, two leaf brick masonry with rubble mound structure and rubble stone masonry were considered. A detailed preceding study was carried out to design the connection device to be used to join the mortar coating to the masonry, so as to optimize the effectiveness of the strengthening technique.Numerous square masonry specimens subjected to diagonal compression up to the collapse evidenced a good effectiveness of the strengthening technique. In fact a significant increase of the tensile strength was noted with particular concern to rubble stone masonry. Considerable was also the residual tensile strength after the formation of diagonal cracks up to large values of the strain.

Key words
Unreinforced masonry buildings, diagonal compression test, brick masonry, strengthening techniques