Abstract
In the strengthening interventions of past and historical masonry constructions, the non-standardized manufacture processes, the ageing and the damage of masonry units, could significantly affect the properties of the surfaces where strengthening materials are applied. This aspect requires particular care in evaluating the performance of externally bonded strengthening layers, especially with reference to the detachment mechanism. The bond response of old masonries could be very different from that occurring in new masonry units which are the ones generally considered in most of the bond tests available in technical literature. The aim of the present paper is the study of the bond behavior of historical clay bricks strengthened with steel reinforced polymers (SRP) materials. In particular, the results of an experimental study concerning new manufactured clay bricks and old bricks extracted from different historical masonry buildings are presented. The obtained results, particularly in terms of bond resistance, detachment mechanism and strain distributions, are discussed for the purpose of analyzing the peculiarities of the historical bricks in comparison with new manufactured ones. Some considerations on the efficacy of the theoretical formulations of the recent Italian code are also carried out.
Highlights
Masonry structures constitute an important part of existing buildings in several countries and, in many cases, they represent the cultural heritage of these countries, which has to be preserved and Materials 2011, 4 protected
The different bond behavior that emerged from the tests has been examined on the basis of the different characteristics of the bricks, in terms of the compressive strength and the properties of the exterior surfaces where the strengthening is applied
The tests showed that regular surfaces with uniform porosities distribution, which are commonly found in new bricks and some old bricks, lead to a good level of adherence between the strengthening system and the support, and are characterized by a debonding mechanism which involves the detachment of the support material
Summary
Masonry structures constitute an important part of existing buildings in several countries and, in many cases, they represent the cultural heritage of these countries, which has to be preserved and Materials 2011, 4 protected. Several standards codes and documents contain specific indications about the strengthening interventions on existing masonry structures, one of the key aspects, in the case of cultural heritage, is to select strengthening solutions characterized by high effectiveness, low invasiveness and reversibility [1]. The use of SRP/SRG materials has been extended to the strengthening of masonry structures; some examples are the interventions made in important Italian constructions, such as the Church of San Gaetano in Padua, the Museum Diocesano in Faenza, and the building of Contucci in Montepulciano [2,3]
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