Discontinuous FRP-Confinement of Masonry Columns

Recent seismic events, all over the world, demonstrated that masonry constructions are prone to brittle collapses when shear or compression capacity is reached. It is clear that, in many real cases, masonry columns need to be strengthened for enhancing their load-carrying capacity and to develop a more ductile response. The Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRPs) confinement of masonry columns is a well-known technique that may produce these advantages. Unfortunately, full-wrapping insulates the column from the environment; so interstitial humidity can easily occur and cause the acceleration of the masonry's decay. In order to prevent it, partial-confinement is commonly assessed instead of total-j…