PSI - Issue 78

Francesco Bencardino et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 78 (2026) 1396–1403 Author name / Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2025) 000 – 000

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5. Conclusions The first results of a wide experimental program aimed at investigating the efficiency of sustainable FRCM strengthening systems are discussed. Among all the various tests planned in the present experimental campaign, this study was focused on cyclic behavior of masonry strengthened with such strengthening techniques. Walls specimens differed in function of fabric material (basalt of steel), nature of the mortar used as a matrix (NHL or alkali-activated slag- based mortar) and strengthening layout (one or both sides). The preliminary results gained up to now show the following experimental evidence: • Specimens strengthened with Basalt fabric on only one side made record very dissimilar behavior going from matrix M1 to M2, since the first allowed to achieve better performances both in terms of strength and ductility; • Specimens strengthened with Basalt fabric and M1 mortar exhibited negligible differences despite reinforcement being applied on only one or two sides; • Unlike specimens reinforced with M1 matrix, those reinforced with M2 one exhibited an increase in force and displacement if reinforcement was applied on both sides; • The most notably capacity in terms of increase of ductility has been recognized in the specimen strengthened with S-FRCM system. • In general, in M1- reinforced specimens’ failure was due to the total detachment of the reinforcement from masonry substrate, while in case of M2 specimens the delamination between mortar and fabric was observed. Acknowledgements The authors would thank Kerakoll (Sassuolo, MO, Italy) for providing materials and FRCM composites employed in the experimental program. References Stepinac, M., Kisicek, T., Renić, T., Hafner, I., Bedon, C., 2020. Methods for the Assessment of Critical Properties in Existing Masonry Structures under Seismic Loades – The ARES Project. Applied Sciences 10, 1576. Lourenço, P. B., 2014. Masonry Structures, Overview. Encyclopedia of Earthquake Engineering. Ascione, L., D’Aponte, A., Mancusi, G., 2014. Fabric-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM): A New Italian Guideline under Development. Key in Engineering Materials. Ascione, L., de Felice, G., De Santis, 2015. S. A qualification method for externally bonded Fibre Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) strengthening systems. Composites Part B 78, 497-506. Papanicolaou C. G., Triantafillou, T. C., Karlos, K., Papathanasiou, M., 2007. Textile-reinforced mortar (TRM) versus FRP as strengthening material of URM walls: in-plane cyclic loading. Materials and Structures 40, 1081-1097. Coppola, L., Coffetti, D., Crotti, E., 2018. Pre-packed alkali activated cement-free mortars for repairing of existing masonry buildings and concrete structures. Construction and Building Materials 173, 111-117. Mercedes, L., Bernat-Maso, E., Gil, L, 2020. In-plane cyclic loading of masonry walls strengthened by vegetal-fabric reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) composites. Engineering Structures 221, 111097. Faella, G., Manfredi, G., Realfonzo, R., 1992. Cyclic behaviour of tuff masonry walls under horizontal loadings. Canadian Masonry Symposium. Garcia-Ramonda, L., Pelà, L., Camata, G., 2022. Cyclic shear-compression testing of brick masonry walls repaired and retrofitted with basalt textile reinforced mortar. Composite Structures 283, 115068. Kerakoll Website. https://www.kerakoll.com/ (Accessed 9 May 2025).