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A retrofitting technique using steel grids for existing masonry panels: a numerical and analytical study

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Abstract

The current research focuses on a numerical and analytical study aimed at investigating the efficiency of a steel-based reinforcement system suitable for existing masonry walls. The application of such a retrofitting technique, which consists of glued thin steel grids applied on both faces of a masonry panel, is reversible, cheap and easy to be executed and appears to be suitable especially for buildings with concrete slab or inter-stories beams to which the steel elements could be anchored. The study is based on a reference experimental test carried out at the “Politehnica” University of Timisoara (Romania), within the European FP6 project PROHITECH. The reference test provided the application of a constant vertical compression and cyclic horizontal displacements to an unreinforced brick-cement mortar wall in full-scale (1500 × 1500 × 250 mm), to which was conferred a double-fixed constraint condition. Based on the experimental evidences, a reference numerical model has been implemented in ABAQUS, by adopting a plastic-damage material and a macro-element approach for the masonry modelling. Hence, in order to determine a design criterion of the studied system, a comparison with the analytical formulations available in the current Italian and European codes for the unreinforced configuration is presented in this study. Then, a wide parametric study on the investigated retrofitting technique has been carried out by varying thickness and spacing of steel grid elements, as well as the geometrical ratio of the panel (height/length). On the basis of the numerical results, a capacity formulation has been proposed, which takes into account the steel distribution in the masonry panel. The obtained outcomes revealed that the strength increase achievable by adopting the studied reinforcement system could be compared to the efficiency of a reinforced masonry wall of new construction and it is strongly influenced by the geometrical ratio of the wall, as well as the steel distribution.

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Availability of data and materials

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within “Mazzolani F M, De Matteis G, Gramatikov K, De Gregorio D (2012) Seismic protection of historical buildings: experimental activity, Earthquake protection of historical buildings by reversible mixed technologies. FP6 PROHITECH Project, Vol. 3, Ed. Polimetrica-International Scientific Publisher”.

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Acknowledgements

The present study has been developed within the agreement DPC/ReLUIS 2016–2018 and as part of a scholarship funded in the framework of the National Operational Program ESF-ESFR Research and In-novation (PON RI 2014-2020), Action I.1 related to Innovative Industrial Ph.D (Project Code – CUP - B25D18000010006).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Architecture and Industrial Design, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via San Lorenzo 31, 81030, Aversa, CE, Italy

    Mattia Zizi & Gianfranco De Matteis

  2. Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, “Genio Civile” of Abruzzo Region, Via Asinio Herio 75, 66100, Chieti, Italy

    Francesco Campitiello

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  1. Mattia Zizi
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  2. Francesco Campitiello
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  3. Gianfranco De Matteis
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Correspondence to Mattia Zizi.

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Zizi, M., Campitiello, F. & De Matteis, G. A retrofitting technique using steel grids for existing masonry panels: a numerical and analytical study. Bull Earthquake Eng 19, 1051–1077 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-020-01030-8

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