Experimental investigation on masonry arches strengthened with PBO-FRCM composite

In the present paper, the structural performance of masonry arches strengthened both at intrados and at extrados by using a polybenzoxazole (PBO) fabric reinforced cementitious mortar composite was experimentally investigated. Results, in terms of load-carrying capacity, post peak behavior and failure mechanism, were compared with those determined by using a Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composite. The present experimental study contributes to improve the knowledge of the innovative PBO-FRCM composites and it provides mechanical data useful for defining masonry strengthening design guidelines.