Strengthening of different types of slabs with Composite-Reinforced Mortars (CRM)

A great number of buildings built in Europe in the second half of the last century are currently in need of strengthening and retrofitting. One of the more frequent issues is the weakness of the slabs and, in particular, of the intrados covering layer (usually a plaster) and/or of the clay non-structural elements employed to decrease the overall slab weight. The application of composite-reinforced mortar (CRM) systems represents a fast and easy solution to address these weaknesses. Therefore, they are particularly attractive for applications in school buildings, to avoid long interruptions of the educational activities. In this paper, the use of CRM to strengthen different types of slabs is described and discussed on the basis of the results obtained from an experimental campaign conducted at the Politecnico di Milano.