The influence of the joint thickness on the adhesion between CFRP reinforcements and masonry arches

The effectiveness of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) reinforcements bonded to masonry structures is demonstrated by the several interventions made on existing buildings as well as by the numerous studies presented in the scientific literature. In practical strengthening interventions, CFRP sheets are being used to reinforce both plane and curved structural elements. Contrariwise, research in the scientific literature are mainly devoted to the analysis of the effectiveness of such reinforcements bonded on plane surfaces. For this reason, the experimental program described in this paper concerns the analysis of the mechanical behavior of portion of masonry arches reinforced by CFRP sheets. The experimental results allowed to analyze the effectiveness of such reinforcements applied at intrados or extrados, loaded by actions tangent to an end of the reinforcement itself. The influence of the mortar joints thickness on the performance of such reinforcements has been also analyzed in the experimental program.