Testing and numerical modelling of the structural behaviour of brick masonry strengthened by the bed joints reinforcement technique

In the paper, the main experimental and numerical results, regarding the compressive behaviour of brick masonry panels reinforced with CFRP strips and the local bond behaviour of CFRP reinforcement, are presented. The experimental program on masonry panels consisted in monotonic compression tests on brick masonry panels in plain, strengthened and repaired conditions after pre-damage according to four reinforcement configurations. Whereas, the experimental program on local bond behaviour consisted of several pull-out tests performed on specimens made of a single CFRP strip inserted in a mortar joint between two solid clay bricks. In order to reproduce realistic in situ conditions, 2 a confining pressure, normal to the mortar joint, was applied while applying the pull-out load. Different anchorage lengths and confining pressures were investigated. Numerical finite element models were developed for the identification of the local bond slip law. This local law was then used for the implementation of the numerical models of the symmetrically strengthened brick masonry panels. These last models, together with the experimental data, were finally used to obtain practical design information for the application of the investigated intervention technique.