Experimental and numerical insights into FRP-reinforced samples subjected to shear tests: curvature effects and optical monitoring.

In this communication two different issues are addressed from both an experimental and numerical standpoint, concerning cutting-edge research on masonry pillars reinforced by Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) elements. The first issue deals with delamination phenomena in curved pillars subjected to shear tests. Data from an experimental campaign are compared with prediction of nonlinear finite element models. The second issue concerns optical monitoring of delamination phenomena of external reinforcement from a (flat) masonry pillar, by means of a 2D Digital Image Correlation (DIC) procedure. Also in this case, experimental data enriched by kinematic full-field measurements are interpreted in light of numerical predictions. These studies are expected to provide viable routes to follow in order to investigate the multi-scale behavior of masonry elements, possibly reinforced, in view of civil applications and of the health care of monumental heritage.