Mechanical behavior of masonry specimens reinforced with CFRCM (carbon fibre reinforced cement matrix) sheets

In the present work a composite material with cement matrix and carbon fiber mesh was considered in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the reinforcement with carbon fibers and cement matrixes compo-sites. The effectiveness of the reinforce-ment depends on the one hand from the bond between carbon fibers and cement matrixes and on the other from the physi-cal-mechanical compatibility between the matrix and the masonry support. An experimental study has been conducted on brick specimens reinforced with CFRCM (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Ce-ment Matrix) sheets and subjected to di-rect traction tests. The brick specimens were made up of two halves of brick con-nected to each other through a pair of composites sheets. In particular two dif-ferent matrixes with the same carbon fiber reinforcement were considered: one pre-mixed and marketed with the carbon fiber mesh and the other one ad hoc mixed in previous experimental studies by the tech-nicians of the laboratory of Dipartimento di Costruzioni of the University of Flo-rence. Different dimensions of the rein-forced sheets were considered. The analysis of the experimental data and of the load-displacement diagrams allowed deducing the mechanical behavior of rein-forced brick specimens and then the effec-tiveness of the two carbon fiber compo-sites considered. Significant results have also emerged through the comparisons conducted be-tween the mechanical responses conse-quent to the two different cement matrixes.