Experimental investigation of behavior of masonry wall under diagonal tension loading: Strengthening with CFRP versus TRM

Abstract

This study presents an experimental investigation of the comparative effectiveness of strengthening masonry walls under diagonal tension loading using three composite materials, Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP), Basalt Textile Reinforced Mortar (BTRM) and Carbon Textile Reinforced Mortar (CTRM). The experimental programme was carried out on ten masonry wall specimens, each reinforced with different configurations of the specified composites. The load-displacement relationships obtained from the experimental study and the primary stiffness and energy absorption capacities calculated using these measurements are interpreted comparatively. Digital Image Correlation analysis was helpful in providing well-defined deformations and failure modes, focusing on the uniqueness and benefits of each type of composite. The results clearly show that CFRP will make a very strong contribution in terms of load carrying capacity and early stage stiffness, which is necessary in most cases where higher structural strength and stiffness are required. On the other hand, BTRM and CTRM performed better in energy dissipation factor in most cases where higher ductility and energy absorption are required. CFRP is recommended for improving load capacity and stiffness, and BTRM and CTRM for energy dissipation as key findings for effective design of masonry retrofit strategy in seismic zones.