Fiber reinforced mortar and concrete for seismic retrofitting of masonry and RC structures

Many countries are currently facing the problem of the evaluation and retrofitting of existing buildings and infrastructures, due to structural deficiencies and durability issues. With the aim of avoiding expensive demolition and reconstruction interventions, excellent retrofitting techniques have been developed over the years, using new composite materials like fibre reinforced mortar (FRM) and ultra-high performance fibre reinforced concrete (UHPFRC). The present paper describes the most significant experiences carried out at the University of Brescia, leading to the development of innovative retrofitting techniques for masonry buildings and RC bridges, including characterization tests of materials, tests on full-scale elements and experimental investigations performed on full-scale structures.