Basalt fibre stitchings: a new technique for strengthening masonry

Abstract

Rehabilitation of historical masonry is a demanding task, especially in seismic zones, where vulnerable buildings and structures can suffer severe damages and losses, as recent earthquakes testify. The idea of a strengthening technique able to connect masonry elements, stitching them, based on the use of basalt fibre ropes arise from the awareness that one of the worst structural defects of an historic masonry wall is the lack of monolithic behaviour. To assess the effectiveness of proposed technique, experimental (laboratory and “in situ” tests) has been performed. The main results show its potentiality and full sustainability.