Seismic and Thermal Retrofitting of Masonry Buildings with Fiber Reinforced Composite Systems: A State of the Art Review

Abstract

Old masonry buildings represent the largest part of traditional constructions. Generally, they are both seismically vulnerable and thermally dispersive. Therefore, the need for seismic and thermal retrofitting aimed at reducing their vulnerability and environmental impact has motivated research efforts towards sustainable retrofitting solutions. This study presents a literature review of the approaches currently available for masonry retrofitting. Specifically, it highlights the use of fiber in textile form i.e., Textile Reinforcement Mortar (TRM), as Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) and natural fibers (animal and plant sources) to masonry retrofitting. In addition, specific attention is devoted to the integrated (structural and thermal) fiber-based integrated retrofitting techniques that are becoming very important in the last years.