Strengthened clay brick and lightweight aggregate concrete block walls tested under eccentric axial loading – a feasibility study on different strengthening techniques

Strengthening of masonry walls is a means to improve the energy performance of modern external masonry walls without further increasing their total thickness. The present paper evaluates the feasibility - here refer-ring to ease-of-application and structural performance - of several techniques aimed at strengthening mason-ry walls subjected to eccentric axial loading. Four full scale walls made of solid clay bricks and lightweight aggregate concrete blocks were strengthened using externally bonded reinforcement of conventional steel mesh, high-strength steel wire, masonry reinforcement and mechanically fastened strips of steel sheet. Each of the studied strengthening techniques is feasible from a structural perspective. Mechanically fastened steel strips require the least work, and no render is required since the steel is not exposed to fire. Steel mesh can be applied directly on the wall surface, which lowers the thickness of the render layer. Continued research with more replicates will confirm the presented conclusions.