Confinamento di colonne in muratura di mattoni facciavista con micro-trefoli in acciaio annegati nei giunti di malta: risultati sperimentali

Italian architectural heritage mainly consists of masonry structures that, due to various factors (materials, age, structural design, etc.), are highly vulnerable to earthquake effects. This issue has been a focus of technical and scientific research for decades. While significant progress has been made in seismic risk mitigation for historic buildings, there are still open questions deserving attention. One such concern is the consolidation of facing brick masonry columns. Traditionally, masonry columns are strengthened by hooping them to restrict lateral deformations and prevent certain failure mechanisms. Recent research has explored composite systems for masonry confinement, such as Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (FRP) and Fiber-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM), but none of these techniques is satisfactory if the original appearance of the building must be preserved. This study aims to experimentally evaluate the mechanical performance enhancement achievable by using a confinement system based on pre-stressed steel micro-strands embedded in mortar joints with the goal of achieving a consolidation respectful of restoration principle. The experimental results obtained are promising and suggest a need for further expansion and investigation of the research.