Failure mechanism of compressed short brick masonry columns confined with FRP strips

• Experimental research of FRP strengthened brick masonry columns was carried out.
• Glass (GFRP) and carbon (CFRP) fabrics were used for strengthening.
• The columns were reinforced by wrapping the FRP strips in 4 height levels.
• Research has proven effectiveness of masonry columns’ strengthening by FRP wrapping.
• Failure mechanism has decisive influence on determination of load-bearing capacity.

The article addresses the issues of strengthening and stabilisation of compressed masonry structures by inorganic FRP fabrics. The confinement of a masonry column with fabrics of carbon fibres with a high modulus of elasticity and high tensile strength relieves the transverse tensile stresses in the masonry and increases the ultimate deformation and the ultimate load. The experimental research of brick masonry columns under concentric load performed to-date has pointed out the necessity of adopting a different approach to assessing the load-bearing capacity or residual load-bearing capacity, which takes into account the different failure modes of reinforced and unreinforced brick masonry.