Retrofitting of Ancient Masonry: Experimental Tests and Numerical Simulations

Abstract

The paper presents the experimental study carried out on stone masonry specimens prepared in the laboratory: the preparation of the specimen was made according to L'Aquila traditional techniques, using original stone elements of "Palazzo Camponeschi" (an historical building situated in the old city center) and typical poor lime mortar. The panels were then injected and some of them also reinforced with steel fiber net applied on the external surfaces. Shear-compression tests were carried out to evaluate the shear strength and the failure modes of the specimen. Moreover, a non-linear finite element model (FEM) has been created in order to reproduce experimental tests and to better understand the damage phenomena. Peak responses and premature delamination of the external reinforcement were predicted with good approximation. A better prediction in terms of stiffness and post-peak behavior of the wall specimens would be possible assuming different hypothesis about external constrains and contact lows in the FEM