Experimental study on strengthening effects of glass fibre-reinforced polymers on masonry infilled reinforced concrete frames

Abstract

This work examines the potential strengthening effect of glass fibre-reinforced polymers (GFRPs) on masonry infilled reinforced concrete (RC) frames. The experimental investigation is conducted in two stages. Initially, the behaviours of masonry infilled RC frames, including their internal interactions, lateral strength, failure modes (considering both masonry and beam-column joint failures) and ultimate failure mechanism, are characterised using six different test units. The observed behaviours are used to develop a strategy for strengthening of masonry infilled RC frames by the incorporation of GFRPs. The impact of GFRP presence on the behaviour of masonry infilled RC frames is comprehensively evaluated and the performances of GFRP-strengthened and unstrengthened structures are compared. The results demonstrate that the addition of GFRPs increases the lateral strength and stiffness significantly and alters the ultimate failure mechanism of masonry infilled RC frames.

Keywords:

• Masonry infill
• strengthened structures
• glass fibre
• ultimate failure mechanism

Acknowledgements

This experimental investigation was conducted as part of the first author’s PhD thesis work. Tests were carried out at the Laboratory of Structural Materials Testing at the University of ‘Hasan Prishtina’ in Prishtine, Kosovo. The authors are grateful to company Konstruktori with leader Shefqet Shabani for supplying and installing the GFRP.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors. Instead, this research was self-funded by the first author.