Flexural strengthening of masonry members using advanced cementitious materials

Two different cement based fiber reinforced composites for the flexural strengthening of masonry beams under monotonic loading are studied. Steel Fiber Reinforced SelfCompacting Concrete (SFRSCC) with tensile strain-softening behavior, and PVA fiber reinforced cement based mortar (SHCC) with tensile Strain-Hardening were the developed composites. Both composites were applied on the tensile surface of masonry beams and the effectiveness of this technique for the flexural strengthening of these quasi-brittle structural elements was assessed by performing four point beam bending tests. Both materials contributed effectively to increase the load carrying capacity and ultimate deflection ductility of the tested masonry beams, but, higher average values were obtained for these two indicators of the strengthening effectiveness when using a layer thickness of SHCC that is 2/3 of the thickness of SFRSCC. Furthermore, much more homogenous results, in terms of forcedeflection relationship, were obtained with masonry beams strengthened with SHCC than with SFRSCC.