M.A. AIELLO and M.S. SCIOLTI

Department of Innovation Engineering, University of Salento

ABSTRACT

A crucial aspect when FRP plates or sheets are externally glued to masonry elements is the bond between the reinforcement and the substrate, as it influences to a great extent the effectiveness of the utilized technique. Some research was carried out on the use of composite materials in masonry structures: however few studies have addressed the analysis of the interface behaviour. The present paper reports an experimental and theoretical investigation of the bond between carbon and glass fibre sheets and typical stones utilized for the construction of masonry structures in the south of Italy. With this aim, a push-off test was assessed and the bond performance was investigated while varying some significant parameters. The state of strain within the reinforcement, the ultimate capacity and the type of bond failure were recorded during testing. Results obtained are presented and discussed. Among all the relevant influence of the substrate not only in terms of mechanical properties but also referring to physical properties was found. In addition, the possibility of using existing theoretical models available for an FRP- concrete interface for the case of a masonry substrate is investigated allowing the assessment of their effectiveness for the analysed cases.