Seismic retrofitting techniques based on metallic materials of RC and/or masonry buildings

Abstract

Two innovative strengthening solutions for masonry walls are presented. First one consists in sheeting some steel or aluminium plates either on both sides or on one side of the masonry wall. Metallic plates are fixed either with prestressed steel ties, or using chemical anchors. The second one is derived from the FRP technique, but applies a steel wire mesh bonded with epoxy resin to the masonry wall. Both these techniques are described together with the experimental program carried out at the “Politehnica” University of Timisoara on the aim to validate them. The Performance Based Evaluation and Retrofitting Design of masonry buildings is addressed. General principles, the acceptability criteria associated to different performance level and intervention strategies are reviewed. The innovative intervention technique is evaluated in terms of strength and ductility performance criteria. In the second part of the paper this technique is applied to retrofitting and historical masonry building. A building designed according only to geometrical consideration (as typical at the beginning of the XX century) has been evaluated and consolidated applying a strengthening solution based on metallic sheathing. On this, purpose a Performance Based Seismic Evaluation procedure was applied using an equivalent FE model. This model, experimentally and numerical calibrated, to simulate the behaviour of masonry shear walls strengthened with metal sheathing is applied by ABAQUS code, in order to establish the acceptance criteria, performance levels and building performance.