Effectiveness of FRP strengthening of masonry systems of arches and columns

The study investigates the collapse behavior of a simple masonry frame made by an arch and two columns, loaded by vertical and horizontal forces and strengthened by partial or complete FRP reinforcement of the inner surface of the structure. In the former case the limit analysis method is adopted while in the latter a new methodology, developed by the same authors, is used. The failure interaction domains in the plane of the loads are evaluated for both strengthening techniques. In the case of complete strengthening the collapse rarely occurs with a mechanism, but it is related to a failure condition at a local level. Therefore the material proper-ties and the related failure criteria play a fundamental role in defining the ultimate loads of the structures. Herein the case of a collapse governed by the flexural crisis of the critical cross section is shown.