Experimental and numerical assessment of optimized hybrid strengthening techniques for unreinforced masonry columns under axial compression
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2025
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Elsamak, G.
Ghalla, M.
El Naqeeb, M.H.
Mlybari, E.A.
Bazuhair, R.W.
Emara, M.
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Structures, 2025; 81(110222):1-20
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This study presents a comprehensive experimental and numerical investigation into the axial performance of unreinforced masonry (URM) columns strengthened with various hybrid retrofitting techniques. Thirteen fullscale brick masonry columns were tested under monotonic axial compression to evaluate the effects of strainhardening cementitious composites (SHCC) jacketing, near-surface mounted (NSM) steel bars, and embedded steel/glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) mesh. The experimental program examined load-displacement behavior, failure modes, ultimate capacity, ductility, and energy absorption. Results demonstrated that hybrid strengthening combining NSM bars and mesh-reinforced SHCC jacketing achieved up to 70 % increase in load capacity and double the energy absorption compared to the unstrengthened reference. A validated finite element model, developed in ABAQUS using cohesive damage and embedded interaction approaches, accurately replicated the experimental response, with an average experimental-to-numerical load ratio of 0.95 and displacement ratio of 0.90. Parametric studies showed that increasing longitudinal reinforcement ratio in hybrid systems enhanced axial capacity by up to 39 %, while increasing transverse mesh ratio improved strength by 25 % before plateauing. These findings highlight the synergistic role of axial and transverse reinforcement in improving strength and ductility and offer a reliable modeling framework for optimizing retrofit designs of URM columns in seismic and structural upgrade applications.
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Copyright 2025 The Authors. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Access Condition Notes: This is an open access article under the CC BY license.