Repair of in-plane shear damaged masonry walls with external FRP. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2010.09.030

Abstract

Extensive damage in a large number of existing masonry buildings during recent earthquakes has shownthe need for structural repairing techniques for masonry structures. Externally bonded fibers (FRP) is aretrofitting technique that has been shown that can be used to repair or strengthen reinforced concreteand masonry structures. Masonry walls strengthened with FRP can have large increase in strength, butthe effect of the of the presence of damage in the walls at the time of the repair has not been studied.Four full-scale shear-dominant clay brick masonry walls, initially damaged in shear by loading themup to their maximum strength, were repaired using two configurations of externally bonded carbon fiberstrips and tested under cyclic shear loading up to failure. It was observed that the maximum strength anddeformation capacity, as well as the cracking pattern and failure mode, of the repaired walls was similarto that of undamaged walls that were strengthened with the same reinforcing schemes.