Static and Cyclic Out-of-Plane Response of Masonry Walls Strengthened Using Textile-Mortar System

The work presented in this paper is a part of a comprehensive research project aimed at developing and testing a system for strengthening historical buildings. The system is composed of a combination of textile mesh and mortar. Representative wall specimens were tested for their out-of-plane flexural behavior under static and cyclic loadings. The parameters investigated include the types of masonry wall (concrete block, sandstone, and brick), mortar (natural lime and cement-based), and textile (bitumen coated E-glass, basalt, or coated basalt fibers). Companion specimens, strengthened using a steel wire mesh, were also tested for comparison. All textile-mortar reinforced masonry (TRM) wall specimens failed in a combination of transverse detachment of the textile-mortar matrix due to the transverse displacement of the blocks relative to each other, and combined transverse shear-tension fracturing of the textile fibers. Regardless of the mode of failure, the TRM specimens developed a substantial increase in their out-of-plane load and displacement capacities under static loading, and low stiffness and strength degradation, and considerable displacement capacities under cyclic loading. The wire mesh-mortar reinforced masonry specimens developed the highest load capacity but were the least ductile when compared to the TRM specimens.