Retrofitting of unreinforced masonry structures and considerations for heritage-sensitive constructions

Abstract

Masonry is one of the oldest fundamental materials used in construction. Structures made by masonry materials without reinforcement, however, routinely exhibit poor performance when exposed to loads imposed by earthquakes, strong winds, shock and impact, and often fail in a brittle manner. The objective of reinforcing and strengthening un-reinforced masonry (URM) structures is to reduce their vulnerability to induced lateral loads and tension forces. Focus during the last few decades has been on seismic retrofitting and strengthening techniques using composite materials. This review attempts to systematically investigate URM structures and commonly used retrofitting methods based on type and previous studies. Furthermore, methods are categorized based on the nature of the structure, application, and possible availability. A comparison of each method's advantages and shortcomings is presented in terms of economy, sustainability, and buildability. Additionally, the application of these methods used for rehabilitation of historical URM buildings with more restrictions is introduced. Expectation is that this study would provide preliminary guidance to structural engineers, architects, and householders to which preservation of masonry structures may be achieved.