Compressive Strength of Masonry Confined by FRCM Systems: Assessment of Existing Models and New Proposals

Fabric-reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) composites have emerged as a viable solution for the external confinement of masonry members. However, what still discourages the use of these composites in the civil engineering field is the lack of analytical models capable of estimating the compressive strength of FRCM confined members with appreciable accuracy. This paper contributes to filling this knowledge gap by presenting an analytical study on the compressive strength of masonry confined by FRCM systems. The goal is twofold: a) to assess existing formulae published in the literature or in some international guidelines, and b) to provide new and more accurate proposals. To this purpose, a large database including results of compression tests on masonry members wrapped with FRCM systems was compiled from the literature. The database was organized by considering some relevant parameters, such as: type of fiber and geometry of the mesh, number of employed layers, mechanical properties of the inorganic matrix, compressive strength of the masonry. The accuracy of the strength models is examined by both considering all FRCM confined members together and treating natural and artificial masonry separately.