Shear resistance of masonry externally reinforced with jute fiber

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the shear strength of masonry reinforced externally with jute fibers in order to determine its effectiveness as a structural reinforcement technique in existing buildings. The research responded to the need for sustainable, economical, and technically viable rehabilitation methods to increase the safety of traditional masonry structures. An experimental and quantitative methodology was adopted, in which prisms and low walls were constructed using handmade bricks and traditional mortar, some without reinforcement and others reinforced by applying jute fiber coatings of two different densities: 82 g/m² and 105 g/m². The prisms were subjected to uniaxial compression tests to determine axial behavior and modulus of elasticity, in accordance with ASTM C-1314, while the low walls were evaluated using diagonal compression tests, following ASTM E-519, in order to quantify shear strength, deformations, and failure modes. Deformations were measured using displacement transducers (LVDTs) and photogrammetry was also used to analyze surface deformations and supplement the data obtained with LVDTs. The results showed that jute fiber reinforcement significantly increases the shear strength and stiffness of masonry, as well as improving crack control and ductility compared to unreinforced specimens. It was observed that the density of the reinforcement directly influences the magnitude of the increases, noting that denser fiber provided greater stiffness, while lower density fiber favored ductility and energy dissipation. In conclusion, the study confirms that external reinforcement with jute fiber is an effective and sustainable strategy for masonry rehabilitation and confirms the hypothesis that fiber density and orientation substantially influence shear resistance capacity.