Out-of-Plane Strengthening of Masonry-Infilled RC Frames with Textile-Reinforced Mortar Jackets

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental investigation on the use of textile-reinforced mortar (TRM) jackets as a means of improving the out-of-plane performance of masonry infill walls in reinforced concrete (RC) frames during natural or humanmade catastrophic events (e.g., blasts, earthquakes). The experimental program included testing of six half-scale, single-story masonry-infilled RC frames. All specimens were subjected to out-of-plane monotonic loading with the load being distributed at four points on the infill’s body. Two specimens were tested without receiving any retrofitting, thus serving as reference specimens; one with single-wythe and one with double-wythe infill wall. The remaining four specimens were first retrofitted with carbon-fiber TRM jackets and then tested to failure. The examined parameters included: (1) the connection configuration between the masonry infill wall and the surrounding RC frame members and (2) the thickness of the wall. It was found that the out-of-plane performance was dramatically improved in all cases of retrofitted walls, with the examined parameters playing a crucial role in certain aspects of the wall’s behavior. Overall, the risk of collapse was drastically mitigated when the walls were connected to the RC frame, thus enhancing the resilience of masonry-infilled RC buildings subjected to humanmade or natural catastrophic events.