Strengthening of Unreinforced Masonry Walls by FRP Materials Exposed to In-Plane Compression Loads

Bricks are commonly used in developing regions because of their low cost and ease of accessibility. Buildings built with bricks symbolize Iraq's rich history and represent its rich culture. Those walls will likely fail if in-plane loads are applied to masonry walls without reinforcement. This is particularly due to their insufficient resistance to non-concentric and concentric compression loads. The historical architecture style often relied on using masonry brick; however, brick structures pose challenges when they are exposed to in-plane loading in eccentric loading scenarios, such as in the presence of lateral loads from wind, which can create eccentric compressive forces, especially if the walls are not symmetrically located within the building footprint. Uneven settlement of a building's foundation can introduce eccentricities in the loads applied to the walls. This is particularly relevant in older buildings or structures on uneven or weak soils. During an earthquake, structures experience dynamic loads that can induce eccentric forces and moments in walls, particularly if the seismic forces are not evenly distributed across the building's height or plan. Due to the age of such a structure, some upgrading and strengthening will be necessary. Choosing a strengthening methodology that does not adversely affect the appearance and operation of a building is of paramount importance. Therefore, in recent years, FRP materials have been widely used to address these problems to improve brick masonry walls' structural performance. An FRP material is typically expensive unless applied in a specific configuration for a specific stress condition, but it has many positive characteristics concerning low weight and ease of application. A current study has evaluated the effectiveness of strengthening configurations utilizing FPR materials (CFRP and GFRP) fabricated into sheets and strips in specific orientations. To achieve the objective of this study, eight masonry brick specimens were manufactured and tested until failure occurred. All specimens in each loading condition maintained the same characteristics as the dimensions of the specimen and boundary condition. The specimens of masonry brick were identified with dimensions (813×810mm) according to British Standard BSEN 1052-1: 1999. In eccentric load conditions, the GFRP material has a more significant effect on load, particularly at the cracking stage; however, this effect is less noticeable at the ultimate loading stage. At the concentric load state, the specimens with a GFRP sheet on the entire side and with CFRP in a diagonal configuration present the most significant displacement by (262.8%); moreover, the specimen with a CFRP sheet on the entire side processes the maximum increase in compression stress with (58.8%).