Structural and thermal performance of masonry walls: Insights from TRM-based upgrading techniques

Masonry buildings, often constructed without adherence to modern seismic standards, are highly vulnerable to seismic events. Retrofitting techniques, such as Textile Reinforced Mortar (TRM), offer effective solutions for enhancing both structural and thermal performance. This study investigates the retrofitting of hollow clay-brick and concrete-brick masonry walls using TRM systems composed of various textile combinations, including galvanized steel and glass fiber textiles, as well as basalt fiber with Inox steel micro-fiber textiles, along with configurations of four or five diatons. Structural performance was evaluated through in-plane cyclic tests, demonstrating a significant increase in load-bearing capacity: approximately 90 % for clay-brick walls and 23 % for concrete-brick walls. To address energy efficiency, the TRM-upgraded/retrofitted walls were thermally upgraded with lime-based insulating mortar (mixed with recycled aggregates) and assessed in a climate chamber. Results revealed a substantial reduction in thermal transmittance for upgraded/retrofitted clay-brick and upgraded/retrofitted concrete-brick walls, and drops of about 44 % and 34 %, respectively, were observed compared to un-strengthened samples. Notably, the recycled aggregates are responsible for improving the insulation property of the masonry wall. Overall, the integrated TRM retrofitting approach effectively enhances both the seismic resilience and thermal efficiency of masonry structures.