Repair of composite-to-masonry bond using flexible matrix

Abstract

The paper presents an experimental investigation on an innovative repair method, in which composite reinforcements, after debonding, are re-bonded to the substrate using a highly deformable polymer. In order to assess the effectiveness of this solution, shear bond tests were carried out on brick and masonry substrates within two Round Robin Test series organized by the RILEM TC 250-CSM: Composites for the Sustainable strengthening of Masonry. Five laboratories from Italy, Poland and Portugal were involved. The shear bond performance of the reinforcement systems before and after repair were compared in terms of ultimate loads, load–displacement curves and strain distributions. The results showed that the proposed repair method may provide higher strength and ductility than stiff epoxy resins, making it an effective and cost efficient technique for several perspective structural applications.