Experimental Characterization and Numerical Validation of NFRCM for Strengthening Masonry

The study investigates the performance of scaled-down masonry panels (0.5 m x 0.5 m) subjected to Diagonal Compression Tests (DCT), to evaluate the effect of Natural Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (NFRCM) on the deformation capacity and shear response of masonry. Two specimen typologies were tested: one un-strengthened, as the control case, and the other strengthened with NFRCM using jute mesh fabric. The tests were equipped with an adapted Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique to systematically capture the deformations during the DCT. The experimental outcome demonstrated an improvement in the deformation capacity of the strengthened panel when compared to the un-strengthened one, indicating the potential of NFRCM in enhancing the mechanical performance of masonry structures. To further validate the findings, Finite Element (FE) models were developed for both the panel typologies. In the case of the strengthened specimen, a multi-leaf homogenization method accounting for the NFRCM mesh fabric direction, was employed to simulate its shear behaviour and evaluate the contribution in improving the shear performance of the specimens.