Durability of FRP-strengthening masonry bricks under hygrothermal conditions

The effect of boundary conditions on Fibre Reinforced Polymers (FRP) delamination is also investigated through visual inspection. The results showed surface grinding significantly improves the bond durability. Strengthening masonry structures using Externally Bonded Reinforcement system has been recognized as a premising technique. The effectiveness of Externally Bonded Reinforcement systems is dependent on the bond behavior between the strengthening material and the substrate. The experimental campaign consisted of exposing FRP-strengthened masonry bricks to hygrothermal conditions in a climatic chamber. The specimens were exposed to 960 hygrothermal cycles lasting for 8 months. The effect of hygrothermal conditions on durability of FRP-strengthened brick masonry by performing accelerated aging tests. The tests included exposing the specimens to temperature cycles and constant relative humidity in a climatic chamber. In the specimens prepared for restrained delamination tests, the effect of unbonded length on the delamination process was insignificant at higher temperature cycles. The rate of delamination increased with decreasing bonded length.