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7Textile-reinforced mortar (TRM) is a composite material that overcomes some drawbacks of other RC 8 (reinforced concrete) shear strengthening solutions. In this work, four different types of TRM are used as a 9 shear strengthening system on RC beams tested until failure. A comparative study of their mechanical 10 performance shows that the different TRM combinations used were able to increase the load bearing 11 capacity and change their failure mode. Moreover, new methodologies that permit evaluating the bonding 12 behaviour of TRM and the increment in flexural toughness are presented. The experimental results are 13 compared with previous FRP and TRM analytical formulations. Finally, new formulae for calculating the 14 shear contribution of TRM based on experimental results are proposed. 15

Using composite materials for retrofitting existing reinforced concrete (RC) structures is showed as a promising technique that offers outstanding performances due to their high strength-weight ratio and the ease of their application. However, the use of organic resins brings some drawbacks that fabric-reinforced cementitious matrix materials (FRCM) avoid. In this work, five types of FRCM applied as flexural reinforcement are comparative studied. Results show that most of the strengthened beams tested up to failure were able to increase their flexural capacity and flexural stiffness, but decreased their ductility. Finally, a new methodology to study the cracking process is presented.

This work explores the feasibility of strengthening masonry with Textile Reinforced Mortar (TRM) by projecting it to save application time. Nineteen tests on masonry samples strengthened with TRM have been carried out to assess this new application method. Different mortars and fibre grids were considered for studying their influence and applicability with this new technique. Three points bending tests have been performed on the specimens to compare the flexural strength between cases with manually applied mortar (TRM) and sprayed application (TRSM) of the mortar layer. It was noticed that the strengthening mortar has a significant influence on the failure mode. Results show a remarkable (between 2 and 6 times more) productivity increase when using TRSM and a load-bearing capacity rise for the cases with larger grid spacing and projectable mortar when using TRSM instead of TRM. Greater ductility values were also observed for the TRSM cases in comparison with the analogue TRM cases (same grid and mortar).

Fibre Reinforced Polymers laminates are currently used to strengthen brick masonry walls. However, no specific evidences of the structural response of this strengthening system when brick walls are subjected to eccentric compressive loads, which might lead to second order bending effects, have been found. An experimental campaign on real-size walls has been carried out and the results have been compared with a numerical model, which predicted the observed shear/compressive masonry failure, and a new analytical approach, which has been used to accurately calculate the load-bearing capacity of the walls. Useful considerations for the strengthening design are also presented.

© 2017. This version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/The feasibility of using ultrasound transmission method to assess raw earthen materials is investigated. Results indicate that this technique is effective at controlling the drying process of raw earthen materials. Near the hygrometric equilibrium, there is a linear relationship between the moisture content of the earthen material and the ultrasound transmission speed, which increases during the drying process. For the tested compressed earth, the hygrometric equilibrium is reached when the ultrasound transmission speed is over 1100 m/s. In addition, ultrasound transmission method is useful to reliably calculate the dynamic Young's modulus of raw earthen materials.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

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