Confinement of masonry columns with SRG composites: an experimental investigation on the effect of the number of layers and corner condition

Externally-bonded composite materials are an innovative type of reinforcement, used as alternative to traditional methods, to retrofit existing structures; they are used to increase the load-carrying capacity of masonry and concrete elements. In this experimental study masonry columns have been strengthened with SRG (steel reinforced grout) composites and the effect of the number of layers and corner condition is investigated. The specimens were tested to failure, under monotonically increasing concentric uniaxial compressive load, in the High-Bay Laboratory in Butler-Carlton Hall at Missouri S&T. The effectiveness of confinement was studied in terms of load bearing capacity, ultimate strain and energy absorption increment with respect to unconfined specimens.