Strengthening Three-Leaf Masonry with Basalt Fibre: Experimental and Numerical Data

This paper presents the first results of a study aimed at evaluate the effectiveness of a strengthening technique able to connect masonry elements, stitching them, based on the use of basalt fibre ropes. To assess the effectiveness of proposed technique, experimental and FEM analysis has been performed. The reproduced masonry is the “three-leaf wall”, where an inner core of rubble material is included between two outer brick shell, a masonry typology often found in Italian historical building heritage. The results indicate the efficacy of this dry retrofitting system, increasing the performance of masonry wall specimens.