In-situ experimental tests on masonry panels strengthened with Textile Reinforced Mortar composites

Textile Reinforced Mortar (TRM) composites are a retrofitting techniques used for strengthening masonry structures. The system is composed of dry fibers grids embedded in two layers of inorganic matrix. The paper describes the results of an in-situ experimental campaign on ancient masonry panels reinforced with different TRM systems. The tests were performed in a building located in Finale Emilia (north of Italy) built at the beginning of the last century. Four diagonal compressive tests were performed on unreinforced and reinforced walls. The walls were strengthened with different configurations: two panels were reinforced with a TRM systems composed of a lime mortar and two different types of glass fiber grids and twist steel bars used as anchors; one panel was reinforced with a layer of TRM on one side and a Near Surface Mounted (NSM) system on the other one. The results of the tests are described and a complete mechanical characterization of the reinforcement systems and of the masonry was performed to analyze the experimental results and validate simple analytical models.