RIBEIRO, SEBASTIÃO1; VICENTE, ROMEU2; VARUM, HUMBERTO3; GRAÇA, JOÃO4; LOBO, BRUNO5; FERREIRA, TIAGO M.6

1) Researcher, University of Aveiro, Civil Engineering Department, sfribeiro@ua.pt

2) Professor, University of Aveiro, Civil Engineering Department, romvic@ua.pt

3) Associate Professor, University of Aveiro, Civil Engineering Department, hvarum@ua.pt

4) Civil Engineer, STB – Reabilitação de Património Edificado, Lda. jgraca@stb.pt

5) Researcher, University of Aveiro, Civil Engineering Department, bmlobo@ua.pt

6) Researcher, University of Aveiro, Civil Engineering Department, tmferreira@ua.pt

An experimental campaign has been described to evaluate the effectiveness of including remedial wall ties as an intervention technique (CemenTie and Dryfix from HELIFIX®) used in the retrofitting of hollowed fired clay brick masonry building facades. Initially an experimental campaign was undertaken to carry out tests on 120 isolated specimens using some post and some pre NP EN 771-1 [1] clay bricks. A second campaign was carried out on wallettes built with dimensions of 1.20 by 1.20 m in order to represent a more realistic situation and evaluate slippage effects of the retrofitting solutions. Thus, this experimental work aimed to: i) assess the retrofitting technique in the laboratory environment; ii) to evaluate the efficiency of the retrofitting solution on specimens represented by post and pre NP EN 771-1 [1] clay bricks; iii) evaluate the influence of different features of the retrofitting technique (sleeve introduction and grout injection) over the pull-out test results; and iv) describe and catalogue the types of failure and behaviour of both techniques. All results for both retrofitting techniques are thoroughly presented and discussed.

Keywords: Instability; masonry walls; retrofitting; remedial wall ties.