Effectiveness of BFRP confinement on the compressive behaviour of clay brick masonry cylinders

Abstract This paper presents the results of an experimental and analytical study on the compressive behaviour of small clay brick masonry cylinders reinforced with a basalt fibre reinforced polymer (BFRP) composite. Fourteen cylinders, manufactured using two assembling schemes and confined using either one or two layers of BFRP grids, were tested under monotonic compression loading. Traditional strain measuring systems were integrated with digital image correlation (DIC) technique. The BFRP confined masonry cylinders showed a ductile behaviour characterised by a softening branch of the stress–strain curve. The experimental strains, strength, and full stress–strain curves were modelled using…

Un metodo per il progetto di massima di dissipatori isteretici e viscosi e applicazione a casi concreti

Infilled frames: Influence of vertical load on the equivalent diagonal strut model

The influence of masonry infills on framed structures behaviour is a central topic in the seismic design procedures and in the hazard evaluation of existing buildings. Many models use equivalent strut elements in order to represent the infill but among the several parameters influencing the interaction between frame and infill the level of vertical loads is hardly considered. Nevertheless, neglecting this effect may produce inaccuracy because the axial deformations of the loaded columns can produce non-negligible variation in the contact region between infill and surrounding frame, influencing the seismic response of the infilled frame. It can easily been observed that, when this regions ex…

Strength and ductility of RC jacketed columns: A simplified analytical method

Abstract Reinforced concrete (RC) jacketing is a common method for retrofitting existing columns with poor structural performance. It can be applied in two different ways: if the continuity of the jacket is ensured, the axial load of the column can be transferred to the jacket, which will be directly loaded; conversely, if no continuity is provided, the jacket will induce only confinement action. In both cases the strength and ductility evaluation is rather complex, due to the different physical phenomena included, such as confinement, core–jacket composite action, preload and buckling of longitudinal bars. Although different theoretical studies have been carried out to calculate the confin…

Flexural behaviour of external R/C steel fibre reinforced beam-column joints

ABSTRACT A softened strut-and-tie macro model able to reproduce the flexural behaviour of external beam-column joint is presented. The model is specific for concrete with hooked steel fibres (FRC) and it is designed to calculate the flexural response, as load-deflection curve, of a beam-column sub-assemblages. The model considers the presence of a constant vertical load acting on the column and of a monotonically increasing lateral force applied at the tip of the beam.

Mechanical Characterization of a Basalt Fabric for TRM Composites: Role of the Test Variables

Textile reinforced mortar (TRM) materials are currently receiving great attention for the strengthening of reinforced concrete and masonry structural elements. Mortars with different strength classes have been coupled with different kind of synthetic fabrics, such as carbon, glass, steel, PBO. Recently natural fibres and, in particular, basalt fibres are receiving increasing interest since they proved to be a promising alternative to the most common synthetic fabrics, thanks to the reduced production costs and the consequent benefits in terms of environmental impact. This paper presents an experimental investigation comprising forty-one monotonic tensile tests on textile strips made with a …

Caratterizzazione meccanica di pannelli di tamponamento per la identificazione di puntoni equivalenti nell’analisi di strutture intelaiate

Effects of Different Test Setups on the Experimental Tensile Behaviour of Basalt Fibre Bidirectional Grids for FRCM Composites

Fibre-reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) composites have been effectively used during the last ten years for the strengthening of existing concrete and masonry structures. These composite materials are made of medium- and high-strength fibre meshes embedded in inorganic matrices. Synthetic fibres are the ones that are currently the most used

Progetto ed analisi del comportamento di nodi esterni in calcestruzzo fibrorinforzato

A strategy for the identification of building structures under base excitations

In this paper the evolution of a time domain dynamic identification technique based on a statistical moment approach is presented. This technique is usable in the case of structures under base random excitations in the linear state and in the non linear one. By applying Itoˆ stochastic calculus special algebraic equations can be obtained depending on the statistical moments of the response of the system to be identified. Such equations can be used for the dynamic identification of the mechanical parameters and of the input. The above equations, differently from many techniques in the literature, show the possibility to obtain the identification of the dissipation characteristics independent…

Experimental investigation on BFRCM confinement of masonry cylinders and comparison with BFRP system

Abstract Fabric reinforced cementitious mortar (FRCM) materials have started to be employed during the last years with the aim of overcoming the drawbacks related to the use of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites, proving to be potentially suitable for strengthening masonry structures. Moreover, the will to develop materials able to guarantee a certain degree of sustainability without renouncing to adequate mechanical properties has drawn the attention to the use of basalt fibres, which appear to be a valid alternative to carbon or glass fibres. This work presents an experimental investigation on a basalt FRCM (BFRCM) system to confine circular masonry columns, aimed at evaluating the…

Experimental investigation on basalt grid cementitious mortar strips in tension

Fibre reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) composite materials are currently receiving great attention for strengthening reinforced concrete and masonry structures, especially when specific preservation criteria need to be fulfilled. FRCM composites can be a convenient alternative to fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP) for their better resistance to high temperature and compatibility with stone and masonry structures. In this work an experimental study for the tensile characterization of basalt reinforced cementitious matrix (BRCM) strips is presented. Strips with one, two or three layers of grid were tested in tension to study the effect of reinforcement ratio on the tensile stress-strain res…

Evaluation of infilled frames: an updated in-plane-stiffness macro-model considering the effects of vertical loads

The influence of masonry infills on the in-plane behaviour of RC framed structures is a central topic in the seismic evaluation and retrofitting of existing buildings. Many models in the literature use an equivalent strut member in order to represent the infill but, among the parameters influencing the equivalent strut behaviour, the effect of vertical loads acting on the frames is recognized but not quantified. Nevertheless a vertical load causes a non-negligible variation in the in-plane behaviour of infilled frames by influencing the effective volume of the infill. This results in a change in the stiffness and strength of the system. This paper presents an equivalent diagonal pin-jointed…

Comportamento flessionale di nodi esterni in calcestruzzo fibrorinforzato

A softened strut-and-tie macro model able to reproduce the flexural behavior of external beam-tocolumn joints with the presence of horizontal and vertical steel bars, including softening of compressed struts and yielding of main and secondary steel bars, is presented, to be used for the pushover analysis. The model proposed is able to calculate also the flexural response of fibrous reinforced concrete (FRC) beam-to-column sub-assemblages in term of a multilinear load-deflection curves. The model is able to take into account of the tensile behavior of main bars embedded in the surrounding concrete and of the softening of the compressed strut, the arrangement and percentage of the steel bars,…

BFRP grid confined clay brick masonry cylinders under axial compression: Experimental results

The use of composite materials for retrofitting of masonry structures has received great attention during the last two decades. For masonry buildings there are several advantages in using composite materials. Traditional techniques that were largely used and investigated in the past, may be inadequate in seismic areas where the added mass could increase seismic actions. Moreover, for historical and architectural heritage structures, the compatibility, sustainability and reversibility of the intervention is a key factor for the selection of the most appropriate strengthening system. Many investigations have shown that fibre reinforced polymers (FRP) can be effectively used to induce a passiv…

Effect of FRP Wraps on the Compressive Behaviour of Slender Masonry Columns

In the last decade, Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) wrapping technique has become a common method to retrofit masonry piers or columns with poor structural performances. The passive confinement effect induced by the external wrap allows increasing the compressive strength and ductility of the member. Several studies highlighted as the efficacy of this technique is affected by several key parameters, including the shape of the transverse cross section, stress intensification at the strength corner of sharp sections, amount and mechanical properties of adopted composite. Despite this technique has been widely studied from both theoretical and experimental point of view, most of studies focused…

An Updated Model of Equivalent Diagonal Strut for Infill Panels

A method for identification of stiffness, dissipation and input parameters of randomly excited non-linear systems

About numerical integration methods for pseudo-dynamic tests: state of the art

On the use of Digital Image Correlation (DIC) for evaluating the tensile behaviour of BFRCM strips

Abstract. Fibre Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) composites are becoming largely adopted for retrofitting masonry structures. These materials offer several advantages in comparison to Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites, such as good resistance to fire and high temperatures, vapour permeability, possibility to be applied on wet surfaces, higher compatibility with the masonry substrate. However, the tensile behavior of FRCM materials is more complex compared to FRP composites, due to the limited tensile strength of the cement-based matrix. For this reason, FRCM materials require appropriate tensile characterization and, in this context, the use of non-conventional measurement syst…

Numerical scheme influence on Pseudo Dynamic tests results

EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF SMALL CLAY BRICK CYLINDERS CONFINED BY BFRP GRID UNDER AXIAL COMPRESSION

Many investigations have shown that fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites can be effectively used to induce a passive confinement action on masonry columns and improve their axial capacity and ductility. This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the compressive behaviour of clay brick masonry cylinders externally wrapped with basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) grids. The circular section shape was chosen to assess the pure confinement effect on the masonry material. Fourteen clay brick masonry cylinders, cored from two different masonry assembly types, were confined with one or two layers of BFRP grids. The two assemblies were used to investigate the effect of vert…

Dynamical identification of building structures: new strategies

In this paper the evolution of a time domain dynamic identification technique based on a statistical moment approach is presented. This technique can be used in the case of structures under base random excitations in the linear state and in the non linear one. By applying stochastic calculus, special algebraic equations can be obtained depending on the statistical moments of the response of the system to be identified. Such equations can be used for the dynamic identification of the mechanical parameters and of the input. The above equations, differently from many techniques in the literature, show the possibility of obtaining the identification of the dissipation characteristics independen…

Rocking behaviour of multi-block columns subjected to pulse-typeground motion accelerations

Ancient columns, made with a variety of materials such as marble, granite, stone or masonry are an important part of theEuropean cultural heritage. In particular columns of ancient temples in Greece and Sicily which support only the architrave arecharacterized by small axial load values. This feature together with the slenderness typical of these structural members clearlyhighlights as the evaluation of the rocking behaviour is a key aspect of their safety assessment and maintenance. It has to be notedthat the rocking response of rectangular cross-sectional columns modelled as monolithic rigid elements, has been widely investigatedsince the first theoretical study carried out by Housner (19…

Experimental application of digital image correlation for the tensile characterization of basalt FRCM composites

Abstract Composites made with inorganic matrix, namely fabric reinforced cementitious mortar (FRCM) composites are becoming widespread as strengthening materials for existing masonry structures. These composites are made of a dry grid of fibres embedded in an inorganic matrix. FRCMs can be considered a valid alternative to traditional organic composites such as fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs) because of their better compatibility with the masonry support. This work presents an experimental study for the tensile characterization of a basalt fabric reinforced cementitious mortar (BFRCM) composite. Tensile tests were carried out on coupons reinforced with one, two or three layers of grid to i…

The use of pumice lightweight concrete for masonry applications

In the last two decades, the use of pumice as lightweight aggregate for concrete in structural applications has been the object of different studies. The aim was to find out if pumice can be an alternative to ordinary lightweight aggregate. The present paper is framed in this context. Here, a study is presented showing the use of pumice for making lightweight concrete units for masonry members. Through the paper, the formulation of a mix design for lightweight concrete is proposed. Then the obtained mechanical characteristics of the masonry units are discussed and compared to the code requirements. Reinforced bearing masonry walls, made with the concrete masonry units in question, were made…

Numerical analysis and experimental comparison on CFRP reinforced masonry walls subjected to transverse loads

The out-of-plane behaviour of walls, unreinforced and reinforced by using CFRP strips, is studied by means of experimental investigation and numerical modelling. The FEM model is based on a linear constitutive law both for the ashlars and the mortar joints constituting the masonry and the lines of potential delamination are taken into account by means of an interface element with bi-linear law, reproducing the opening failure mode. When the reinforcement is introduced, an interface element with bi-linear law is also used, reproducing the sliding failure mode. Comparison between the numerical and experimental results shows the reliability of the modelling. Moreover, a parametric analysis is …

Caratterizzazione meccanica di alcune tipologie di tamponamento

L’utilizzo di modelli che prevedono l’inserimento dei tamponamenti nelle maglie di telaio richiede la conoscenza preliminare delle caratteristiche meccaniche del tamponamento. A tal fine si possono seguire diverse strade, tutte basate su prove di laboratorio: 1) determinazione diretta della risposta a taglio del tamponamento su campioni di muratura; 2) determinazione della risposta a compressione lungo gli assi principali di campioni di muratura rappresentativi del tamponamento e utilizzo dei risultati per dedurre il comportamento a taglio; 3) determinazione della risposta a compressione dei componenti della muratura (malta ed elementi resistenti) da correlare alle caratteristiche meccanich…

Risposta sperimentale di telai tamponati

Le tipologie di muratura discusse nel Cap.5 hanno fornito risposte sperimentali utilizzabili per la loro caratterizzazione meccanica; tuttavia, la stima degli effetti sul comportamento di una maglia di telaio, tamponata utilizzando tali tipi di muratura, è stata possibile solo predisponendo una apposita campagna sperimentale. Allo scopo è stata utilizzata una idonea attrezzatura, realizzata in occasione di precedenti studi, attraverso la quale sono stati provati 6 telai monoplano tamponati, 2 per ciascuna delle tre tipologie di muratura prese in in considerazione. Coerentemente con l’obiettivo di questa ricerca, i telai sono stati realizzati in maniera da riprodurre le caratteristiche di si…

Criteri semplificati per la stima delle proprietá meccaniche di murature di tamponamento

La campagna di prove descritta al capitolo precedente è stata realizzata con un duplice scopo: determinare in maniera diretta le caratteristiche meccaniche di alcune tipologie di murature in vista delle prove sperimentali su telai tamponati, in modo da disporre di tutti i dati necessari per la modellazione: verificare l’affidabilità delle relazione fornite da codici normativi, che legano le caratteristiche degli elementi componenti la muratura al comportamento meccanico globale del pannello murario, proponendone eventualmente di nuove. Queste leggi semplificano notevolmente la determinazione delle caratteristiche meccaniche per un pannello in muratura sollecitato a compressione e taglio. Al…