Pull-out behaviour of near surface mounted steel wire rope bonded to clay-brick masonry

Abstract

Near surface mounted (NSM) steel wire rope (SWR) provides a cost-effective retrofit solution to improve the seismic performance of clay-brick unreinforced masonry structures. Investigation of the bond strength between the SWR and the clay-brick substrate by means of pull-out tests is presented herein. Various parameters were investigated, including SWR diameter, groove dimensions, SWR bonded length, adhesive types (i.e. epoxy, cement-based grout, and lime-based grout), and compressive strength of the clay-brick masonry substrate. The NSM-SWR was adhered to assemblages of vintage solid clay-bricks and subjected to monotonic and semi-cyclic pull-out testing, with the results being presented herein. A pull-out strength prediction model is proposed based on experimental findings.