Mechanical behavior of masonry columns strengthened with basalt textile reinforced concrete under eccentric loading: Experimental investigation and analytical modelling

Abstract

The mechanical behavior of masonry columns confined with basalt textile reinforced concrete (BTRC) under eccentric compression was investigated. The main objects of this research include: i) the effects of load eccentricity and confinement ratio on the failure modes of masonry columns; ii) the confinement effectiveness of BTRC on columns involving increases in peak load and ductility; iii) confinement mechanism of BTRC jackets under eccentric loading, i.e., how the confinement was activated; iv) the theoretical predictions of mechanical behavior of masonry columns through an analytical procedure. A total of 20 masonry columns with or without confinement of BTRC jackets were eccentrically loaded and two parameters were varied, i.e., confinement ratio, ρf, and eccentricity-to-section height ratio, e/h. The experimental results were discussed and analyzed in terms of failure modes, load-axial deformation response, load-lateral deflection response and load-strains curves of BTRC jackets. A nonlinear second order iterative procedure was developed to predict mechanical behavior of eccentrically loaded masonry columns, in which the variation of eccentricity along the entire height induced by lateral deformations could be considered. Finally, the theoretical predictions were compared with experimental results to evaluate the findings herein.