WO2006020261A2

WO2006020261A2 - Confinement reinforcement for masonry and concrete structures

Info

Publication number: WO2006020261A2
Application number: PCT/US2005/025477
Authority: WO
Inventors: Robert G. Drysdale; Wael W. El-Dakhakhni
Original assignee: Mcmaster University
Priority date: 2004-07-19
Filing date: 2005-07-19
Publication date: 2006-02-23
Also published as: WO2006020261A3

Abstract

The present invention provides confinement methods for masonry and concrete structures for both new or existing structures. In addition to strength enhancement, the main benefit is found from confinement that changes the fundamentally brittle behavior to a very ductile behavior capable of dissipating energy and surviving the effects of dynamic loading. The confining reinforcement serves as temperature and shrinkage reinforcement as well as shear and flexural reinforcement. When used in conjunction with surface wrap, the current invention enhances the benefit of surface wrap and enable the use of the wrapping technique on noncircular cross sections in order to increase the strength, ductility and energy dissipation of concrete and masonry construction.

Description

CONFINEMENT REINFORCEMENT FOR MASONRY AND CONCRETE STRUCTURES

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

[01] The present invention relates generally to masonry and concrete structures, and more particularly, to confining reinforced concrete columns, walls and beams and other structural elements and masonry walls. These elements provide major lateral load resisting elements in concrete and masonry structures. The present invention increases the wall ductility and energy dissipation required during dynamic loading such as earthquake or blast loading. The present invention also relates to unreinforced masonry structures by maintaining the structural integrity of the unreinforced wall even after failure due to seismic event or blast loading resulting from accidental explosion or possible terrorist activity. The present invention is versatile in nature since it is not only applicable to new construction but to existing construction as well. In the case of existing construction the present invention is particularly applicable to reinforced concrete columns and walls and other concrete elements in addition to reinforced masonry walls especially those already retrofitted using FRP wrapping in the US and around the world.

Related Art

[02] There are two major categories for masonry, unreinforced masonry (URM) and reinforced masonry (RM). Both of these masonry types have disadvantages associated with them that will benefit from the teachings of the present invention.

[03] For unreinforced masonry, according to current estimates, more than 70% of all existing inventory of structures within North America is constructed using URM in the construction process. The percentage of utilization is even higher outside North America. The advantage of URM is price and ease of installation. Construction of existing masonry buildings in the United States dates back to the 1500s in the southeastern and southwestern parts of the country, to the 1770s in the central and eastern parts, and to the 1850s in the western half of the nation. The stock of existing masonry buildings in the United States largely comprises structures constructed in the last 150 years. Some methods of seismic upgrading such as the addition of new structural frames or shear walls, have been proven to be impractical, they have been either too costly or restricted in use to certain types of structures. Other strengthening methods such as grout injection, insertion of reinforcing steel, pre-stressing, jacketing and different surface treatments were specified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA-273, (1997) and FEMA-274, (1997)]. Each of these methods adds considerable mass and stiffness leading to higher seismic loads. They also involve the use of skilled labor and disrupt the normal function of the building. Following the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, unreinforced masonry (URM) was banned in California, giving rise to reinforced masonry (RM) construction. Today, buildings approaching thirty stories are constructed with stiff, strong, and ductile RM walls designed with limit states concepts. Both hollow clay and concrete block construction have competed with reinforced concrete and structural steel for the design of commercial, residential, and industrial buildings. In addition, clay-unit masonry remains as the most prevalent material for cladding and veneer on all types of buildings.

[04] Unfortunately, URM has a sudden brittle behavior that is a major seismic hazard problem in earthquake prone regions. URM is the major source of seismic hazard in moderate and high seismic regions as a result of out-of-plane wall collapse because of in-plane loss of structural integrity [FEMA-274, (1997)]. This behavior also results in applying a very small seismic response factor to URM structures. Thus, making URM an unattractive alternative for current construction practice. In addition, URM suffers from thermal and moisture induced shrinkage and expansion and thus requires joint reinforcement. The proposed invention also serves as shear and flexure reinforcement.

[05] URM buildings are also susceptible to explosions in or within a standoff distance from the building. These explosions result in a sudden pressure wave that a typical URM wall cannot withstand by simple bending, thus, arching might be required to keep the wall in place. However, arching cannot develop if severe in-plane damage has occurred in the wall or if some parts of the wall have been dislodged. According to FEMA 274 (1997) "Infill panels (or large portions of wall) may fall out of the surrounding frame due to inadequate out-of-plane restraint at the frame-infill interface, or due to out-of- plane flexural or shear failure of the infill panel. In undamaged infills, these failures may result from out-of-plane inertial forces, especially for infills at higher story levels and with a large height to thickness ratio. However, it is more likely for out-of-plane failure to occur after the masonry units become dislodged due to damage from in-plane loading".

[06] For URM, eliminating the use of URM in new construction in seismic regions and attempting to replace existing URM construction by reinforced masonry is an alternative but faces the problem of economic feasibility.

[07] It is a major economical problem to replace all URM construction by the more costly reinforced masonry (RM) simply for structural integrity purposes. The current invention saves costs associated with such practice such as: demolishing the wall. Especially in an existing functioning building, the costs of the new blocks, mortar, grout and steel reinforcement, not to mention the labor costs and the shut down time of the facility until wall replacements which are also major concerns.

[08] RM has the advantage of improving seismic response but does so at substantial cost. In addition, RM has the disadvantages of not being able to make full use of the attractive features of masonry, such as ease and speed of construction. It should be appreciated that current design codes place restrictive conditions on use of masonry.

[09] Not being able to economically confine reinforced masonry shear walls and piers (similar to their reinforced concrete counterparts where lateral confinement is provided by steel stirrups), has penalized and limited the use of RM shear walls in many parts of the world, because of relatively limited ductility that may be reached without confinement.

[10] A method to combat the problems with RM is to apply a seismic response factor to RM construction that is less than their reinforced concrete counterparts. This results in the requirement to use higher equivalent lateral static loads for masonry design and thus increases construction cost.

[11] Another solution to RM is to confine the grout cells within the RM construction in order to confine the vertical reinforcing bars. This type of solution may be seen in Japanese patent # 2002266447 for metallic spiral reinforcements placed inside the cells to confine steel reinforcement. US patent #5,099,628 addresses a similar goal and also uses metallic reinforcement.

[12] US patent #5,218,809 teaches the use of a steel frame in conjunction with poured concrete. While the '809 patent teaches that it is possible to achieve reinforced concrete construction, it should be appreciated that these teachings cannot be utilized in masonry construction. This is because the construction material (concrete) would still be fresh and in a fluidic state and can be formed around the steel frame. This is hardly the case in masonry construction where the blocks are already hard. It is neither practical nor time effective to apply this entire technique.

[13] World patent #WO 97/27371 addresses application of a "masonry tape" for masonry construction for shrinkage control and shear stress resistance using a thermoplastic mesh reinforced with fibers in the longitudinal direction without addressing the importance of fibers presence in the transverse direction in confining the wall.

[14] Thus, there are no commercially acceptable solutions to address the shortcomings of URM or RM. A cost effective solution is needed to allow for seismic activity and explosion hardening.

SUMMARY

[15] The proposed invention eliminates the sudden brittle behavior typically associated with URM, which is a major seismic hazard problem in earthquake prone regions. In addition, the present invention maintains the wall integrity even after severe damage. The invention works as shrinkage and expansion reinforcement also and thus replaces traditional joint reinforcement. The teachings of the present invention should also mitigate the hazard associated with blast type of loading resulting from accidental explosion or possible terrorist attack by maintaining the structural integrity of URM walls. For RM walls, the proposed invention gives unprecedented ductility and energy dissipation under compression failure, a behavior seldom obtained for brittle materials such as concrete and masonry without significant confinement and major structural intervention. [16] The use of non-metallic material eliminates uncertainties about corrosion and durability of metallic reinforcement and eases handling because of the lighter weight and compact shape. When used with selected adhesives, the proposed confining reinforcement will facilitate application in walls during construction. Metallic mesh reinforcement with proper moisture protection (such as galvanization) as well as fiber mesh with or without adhesive can also be used.

[17] The invention features confining the masonry face shells, resulting in confining 100% of the wall area [more than confining the grout cells (less than 50% of the wall area)] while also confining the grout cells and consequently bracing any steel bars that may be used in RM.

[18] The invention features a much easier to apply material for confining reinforcement which avoids prior problems in masonry construction (RM and URM).

[19] The invention proposes a method for face shell confinement for both URM and RM construction. In addition, it replaces traditional joint reinforcement. The latter is an added advantage that arises from the presence of confining reinforcement, which then can perform both functions.

[20] The present invention is versatile in nature since it is not only applicable to new RM and URM construction, but it is also applicable to existing construction as well. In the case of existing construction, the technique is implemented slightly different. This is because the mortar joints are already filled and the placement of the proposed joint reinforcement is a difficult task. The proposed technique for existing construction is to drill through the wall at key critical locations and using FRP rope (or metallic wire if applicable) to confine the wall at these critical locations. This technique can be used with or without wrapping the critical wall zones with FRP laminates. The wrapping of walls with FRP without the use of the proposed invention is still under research (El-Dakhakhni et al. 2004-a), however, unpublished results by the inventors (El-Dakhakhni et al. 2004-b) are showing superior performance of the wall retrofitted with FRP laminates and utilizing the proposed technique vs. those retrofitted with FRP laminates only. This makes the proposed invention attractive for seismic retrofit, rehabilitation and upgrade purposes, especially that it would be required only in critical areas of the wall subjected to high compression. [21] The invention may be utilized for concrete block, brick masonry, stone masonry, masonry tiles, autoclaved aerated units, Calcium Silicate units, and other types of sandwich construction or any new type of masonry construction. It should also be appreciated that the teachings of the present invention may be used in poured concrete construction as well. In the case of existing construction, the present invention is particularly applicable to reinforced concrete columns and walls and other elements, especially those already retrofitted using FRP wrapping in the US and around the world.

[22] The use of the proposed technique in the FRP wrapped structures solves the long known problem of retrofitting non-circular cross sections such as columns or beams with rectangular, square etc. column sections as well as walls. Using the proposed technique enables effective confinement of such non-circular sections by creating custom stirrups for each individual element upgraded using the proposed technique, thus confining the FRP wrapping system and enabling it, in turn, to more effectively confine the concrete core by means of eliminating delamination or bulging of the FRP wrapping system .

[23] For new construction (both URM and RM) the confinement technique is implemented by laying the proposed joint reinforcement in the mortar joints during building the wall. Variations such as strength, shape, configuration (mesh or solid) and material (metallic or non-metallic) of the joint reinforcement and the method of adherence in the mortar joints (with or without gluing) as well as the anchorage of the joint reinforcement (if any) should also be considered. For new concrete construction, the technique may be implemented by placing the fiber mesh or the metallic mesh at critical locations within the concrete element during reinforcement placement and before concrete pouring.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[24] The present invention will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[25] FIGs. l(a), l(b) and l(c) show different failures of prior art unreinforced masonry (URM) walls during an earthquake; [26] FIGs. 2(a) and 2(b) illustrate stress distribution, which leads to web splitting or other vertical cracking resulting from vertical compression stress;

[27] FIGs. 3(a), 3(b), 3(c), 3(d) and 3(e) illustrate applications of the present invention as confining systems for masonry construction;

[28] FIGs. 4(a), 4(b) and 4(c) illustrate the use of the present invention on masonry block and its effect on controlling web splitting;

[29] FIG 5 illustrates the stress-strain relationship for different materials considered in the present invention;

[30] FIGs. 6(a), 6(b), 6(c), 6(d) and 6(e) show a URM wall that is retrofitted without the use of the invention;

[31] FIGs. 7(a), 7(b), 7(c) and 7(d) show a URM wall with a symmetrical door opening that has been retrofitted without the use of the present invention;

[32] FIG. 8 shows web splitting at of a prior art toe wall;

[33] FIG. 9 shows prior art wall out-of-plane walk-out of a face shell;

[34] FIG. 10 is a table of the test matrix for FRP reinforced prisms of the present invention;

[35] FIG. 11 is a table delineating the properties of GFRP laminate which is one example of the considered confining materials of the present invention;

[36] FIGs. 12(a), 12(b), 12(c), 12(d) show behavior of URM assemblages after testing by the inventors;

[37] FIG. 13 is a graph displaying the results of FIG 12;

[38] FIG. 14 shows an improvement to the structure in FIG 12 by utilizing the teachings of the present invention;

[39] FIG. 15 is a graph displaying the results of FIG 14;

[40] FIGs. 16(a), 16(b), 16(c) and 16(d) show the improvement to the structure in FIG 12 found through the use of the present invention;

[41] FIG. 17 is a graph displaying the results of FIG 16;

[42] FIGs. 18(a) and 18(b) show masonry, grouted to simulate reinforced masonry, after undergoing the described testing conditions;

[43] FIG. 19 is a graph displaying the results of FIG 18;

[44] FIGs. 20(a), 20(b) and 20(c) show the improvement of the grouted masonry of that of FIG 18 when utilizing the teachings of the present invention;

[45] FIG. 21 is a graph displaying the results of FIG 20;

[46] FIGs. 22(a), 22(b), 22(c), 22(d), 22(e) and 22(f) show the improvement of the grouted masonry of that of FIG 18 when the present teaching of the invention are utilized;

[47] FIG. 23 is a graph displaying the results of FIG 22;

[48] FIGs. 24(a), 24(b), 24(c) and 24(d) illustrate different reinforcement materials used in the present invention;

[49] FIGs. 25(a), 25(b), 25(c), 25(d), 25(e) and 25(f) illustrate some of the different reinforcement materials used in the present invention and applied to masonry blocks;

[50] FIG. 26 illustrates the original shapes of the reinforcement material of the present invention;

[51] FIGs. 27(a), 27(b) and 27(c) illustrate the installation of the present invention to retrofit an existing construction;

[52] FIG. 28(a) illustrates the effect of not using the teachings of the present invention in FRP wrapped RM wall;

[53] FIG 28 (b) illustrates the effect of using the teachings of the present invention in FRP wrapped RM wall; and

[54] FIG 29 illustrates the effect of not utilizing the teachings of the present invention on new RM wall construction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[55] It is advantageous to define several terms before describing the invention. It should be appreciated that the following definitions are used throughout this application.

Definitions

[56] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "anchor" is a piece or assemblage, usually metal, used to attach building parts, e.g. plates, joists, trusses, etc. to masonry or masonry materials.

[57] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "bed joint" is the horizontal layer of mortar on which a masonry unit is laid.

[58] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "confining stirrups" is a device which confines via it being a piece resembling a stirrup and as a support or clamp in carpentry and machinery or a mechanism or such similar to that of staples in the accomplished task.

[59] For the purposes of the present invention, "the edges" are the vertical ends of a face shells, on either side of an end shells.

[60] For the purposes of the present invention, the terms "E-glass fibers," or electrical grade glass fibers, are those fibers that are used almost exclusively as the reinforcing phase in the material commonly known as fiberglass.

[61] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "FRP" Fiber Reinforce Polymers or Plastics, or "Composites", are interchangeable terms used to describe these classes of materials that are composed of polymeric matrix reinforced with fibers. The fibers and polymer properties can be widely varied, currently three main types of fibers are used with thermo set polymer. These are Glass, Kevlar (Aramid), and Carbon fibers. Fibers used in modern composites can be broadly classified into three main categories: 1. Polymeric fibers, including aramid fibers (i.e. Kevlar 29, Kevlar 49 and Kevlar 149 which is the highest tensile modulus aramid fibre); 2. Carbon fibers, including pan- based carbon and pitch-based carbon. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and cellulose are the common precursors from which pan-based carbon fibers are currently made; 3. Inorganic fibers including E-glass, S-glass and boron fibers. Petroleum and polyvinyl chloride are the common sources for the pitch used for carbon fibers. Pan-based carbon fibers have diameters of 5-7 μm while pitch-based carbon fibers have diameters of 10- 12 μm.

[62] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "end anchorage technique" is a technique that provides to the ends of a structure: a means of securing, a source of reassurance, something that provides a secure hold.

[63] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "Web" and "end web" is that part of the masonry units joining the face shell or faces of masonry units. For the purposes of the present invention, the term "face shell" is one of the long sides of a masonry unit.

[64] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "grout" is a mixture of cementitious material and aggregate to which sufficient water or additives are added to produce placing consistency without segregation of the constituents.

[65] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "in-plane," or "in plane," refers to that which where the "plane" is the face of a surface; and that which occurs "in-plane," or "in plane," is said to be said occurrence along/in the same, geometric plane.

[66] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "infill wall" is a wall comprised of infills within a structural frame, that is, wall panels of masonry units, or the like, to provide the external cladding of a building or internal partitions of the building. Infill panels that are anchored to the structural frame comprise a composite construction that benefit from the present invention in the same manner. For the purposes of the present invention, the term "joint" is the surface at which two members join or butt. If they are held together by mortar, the mortar-filled aperture is the joint.

[67] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "joint reinforcement" or "horizontal reinforcement" is any type of reinforcement that is placed in or on mortar bed joints.

[68] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "ladder reinforcement" is a premanufactured reinforcement whereon side wires are connected in a single plane by perpendicular cross wires.

[69] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "out-plane," or "out plane," or "out-of -plane," or "out of plane," refers to that which where the "plane" is the face of a surface; and that which occurs "out-plane," or "out plane," is said to be said occurrence not along/not in the same, geometric plane.

[70] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "pier" may be defined as follows: (1) a vertical structural support as (a) the wall between two openings, (b) a pillar or pilaster, (c) a vertical member that supports the end of an arch or lintel, (d) an auxiliary mass of masonry used to stiffen a wall; or (2) a structural mount usually of stonework, concrete, or steel.

[71] For the purposes of the present invention, a "prism" is a small masonry assemblage made with masonry units and mortar, primarily used to predict the strength of full-scale masonry members.

[72] For the purposes of the present invention, "reinforced grouted masonry" is masonry units, reinforcing steel, grout and/or mortar combined to act together in resisting forces.

[73] For the purposes of the present invention, "unreinforced masonry" is that type of construction made with hollow or solid masonry units in which certain cells may be continuously filled with concrete or grout but with no embedded reinforcement.

[74] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "shear wall" are/is (an) individual wall segment(s) that need(s) to be connected not only to other shear walls, but also to underlying and overlying structural elements, such as floors and roofs; creating a wall subjected to vertical and horizontal forces. In other words, a wall that resists horizontal forces applied in the plane of the wall.

[75] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "standoff distance" will refer to a distance from an explosive charge or a point of explosion to a building or structure or beyond which minimum damage is expected.

[76] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "thermoset matrix" is a matrix-arrangement of material capable of becoming permanently rigid when heated or cured.

[77] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "toe crushing" is the breaking, damage, etc. on a base corner(s) of a wall, as a result of vertical and horizontal in-plane forces or stresses accumulating over the height of the wall.

[78] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "walk-out", is an out of plane movement of masonry blocks from an original plane formed by the blocks.

[79] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "web" is the material that forms the partitions between cells.

[80] For the purposes of the present invention, a "weft" is a filling thread, yarn, fiber, etc. in some sort of weave of threads, yarns, fibers, etc.

Description

[81] The present invention relates to a method and system for metallic, nonmetallic, fiber mesh or Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) or Composite confinement of masonry and concrete structures.

[82] In the last few years, a notable amount of research has been devoted to the use of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) materials for strengthening and rehabilitation of existing concrete and masonry structures. However, experimental data regarding confinement of shear walls is still very limited. The inventors are currently carrying out an investigation to evaluate new confining techniques for concrete masonry shear wall structures using metallic, nonmetallic, fiber mesh and FRP joint reinforcement. One aspect of this application focuses on enhancing the in-plane behavior of masonry shear walls under toe crushing resulting from flexural compressive stresses or rocking of the wall. The confinement techniques aims at strengthening regions where failure is expected, thus enhancing the overall wall performance and strength and enabling it to carry more loads. The technique also aims at enhancing the post-peak behavior of the walls under in-plane loading, increasing ductility and energy dissipation capabilities and stabilizing the wall, thus, preventing catastrophic failure.

[83] One of the most interesting and widespread applications of FRP is their use to achieve confinement of reinforced concrete columns and bridge piers (Priestley et al. 1996). This article is hereby incorporated by reference. However, experimental research addressing enhancing the effectiveness of FRP confinement of concrete and masonry columns with noncircular, square or rectangular cross-section and confinement of concrete and masonry walls is still very limited. The present invention converts structural members with high cross sectional aspect ratio (such as rectangular columns, beams and walls) to a series of confined columns with smaller cross section connected together while individually confined to enhance their behavior.

[84] To the best of the inventor's knowledge, only recently two separate preliminary studies were conducted by Micelli et al. (2001) and Masia et al. (2001) to evaluate the confinement effect of FRP in increasing the strength and post-peak behavior of mortarless natural stone masonry and brick masonry columns, respectively. Both of these articles are hereby incorporated by reference. Results showed that external wrapping with FRP laminates increased the stiffness, strength and ductility of the masonry columns, hi addition, the use of FRP bars for confinement Micelli et al. (2001) suffers from problems related to end anchorage of these bars. The proposed invention may use pre-impregnated fiber ropes that are flexible during installation (unlike stiff FRP bars) in order to create different stirrup shapes with it during installation. This proposed technique, thus, plays four roles: 1. it solves the end anchorage associated with using bars (especially in walls where the wall width is typically not enough to provide anchorage length for the bars); 2. it is able to bend without damage (unlike the use of bars); 3. it facilitates creating custom-made stirrups for the strengthened member during installation without the need to fill the gap between ready made stirrups and the member; and_.4. when the current invention is used in conjunction with FRP wrapping, the rope confine the FRP wrapping, thus enabling the effective confining of noncircular concrete and masonry sections such as columns, piers, walls and beams, etc. Needless to mention, ready-made stirrups cannot be physically inserted in members, that's why Micelli et al. (2001) used straight bars for confinement. [85] Turning now to Figures l(a), l(b) and l(c), the effect of an earthquake on URM may be seen during an earthquake in Turkey, 1999. More explicitly, an out-of- plane failure Figure l(a) element 102; an in-plane failure 110 in Figure l(b); and a combination thereof 120 in Figure l(c). A strong earthquake introduces severe in-plane and out-of -plane forces to masonry walls, which may lead to catastrophic collapse. Yet, the majority of work conducted to date [Triantafillou (1998), Velazquez-Dimas and Ehsani (2000), Albert et al. (2001), Hamoush et al. (2001), Hamilton and Dolan (2001), Kuzik et al. (2003) and Tan and Patoary (2004)] has been concentrating on the out-of- plane capacity of masonry walls with externally applied FRP. All of these articles are hereby incorporated by reference. The present invention addresses the in-plane capacity and its effect by utilizing FRP laminates, mesh or ropes or metallic reinforcement in the form of plates, mesh or cables or wires. Unpublished recent research dealing with in-plane FRP retrofit of URM shear and infill walls by the inventors has revealed the need for confining masonry walls against web splitting failure mode and confining critical zones in RM walls to boost ductility, strength, structural integrity and energy dissipation.

[86] Turning now to Figures 2(a) and 2(b), one may see the compressive and tension stress distribution, Figure 2(b), which leads to web splitting as illustrated in Figure 2(a). Web splitting is a major factor in in-plane failures; see Drysdale et al. (1999). This article is hereby incorporated by reference.

[87] Turning now to Figure 4(a), a masonry block 401 with, face shell 404, end shell 408, webbing 412, cells 416, core 420, and web splitting 424 is illustrated to give a better understanding of web splitting; and through use of the web splitting mechanism of face shell mortar bedding masonry.

[88] Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) materials include but not limited to Carbon FRP, Glass FRP, and Aramid FRP. These materials are commercially available under the trade name FRPs or Composites from many companies around the world. Composites have been used in aerospace and defense industries, boats, automotive components and sports equipments, etc. for many decades. However, only recently (in the 1990s) they started to attract interest of civil and structural engineering researchers around the world. The confining reinforcement tried was shaped from large rolls of fiber reinforced polymer reinforcement (FRP) laminates, fiber meshes, and metallic mesh. The main load carrying fibers, metallic wires, etc. should be placed parallel to the directions that need to be confined (See Fig. 25).

[89] The method used to secure the metallic or fiber meshs or the FRP to masonry is either: (1) a thermoset matrix [Epoxy or vinylester or other adhesives] to surround the fibers and also to serve as a gluing agent to adhere the proposed reinforcement to the masonry face shell, and to the mortar joint; or (2) the confining reinforcement is bonded within normal or modified mortar.

[90] The type of adhesive that may be used to adhere the proposed confining reinforcement to the face shell and to the mortar joint might be epoxy or vinylester or other adhesives. Its cure time and condition (air dried or after a certain time of adding it to the confining reinforcement) is a parameter affecting the choice depending on selected construction sequence. It should be appreciated that any type of adhesive may be utilized with the present teachings of the invention. The way the adhesive is applied may be such methods as scotch tape applicator or pre-glued rolls, or as a separate material that is applied to surfaces of the construction including individual units. Alternatively, it may be applied on the fibers or the mesh before they are applied on the wall. It should be appreciated that any type of surface finish such as the addition of sand particles, surface roughening, introduction of knobs or dents etc. may be incorporated into one or more surfaces of the FRP, mesh, or the metallic reinforcement that is utilized in the present invention.

[91] Other types of non adhesive fastening, lips, bents, hooks, etc. may be used to fasten the confining reinforcement to the confined structure during and after construction and are also variations considered within the scope of the invention by the inventors.

[92] As an alternative to manually shaping the confinement reinforcement from produced rolls of fabric, the inventors anticipate manufacturing the required geometry directly as a final product. Other variations such as glue application to the masonry units or to the confining fabric are also considered as part of the teachings of the present invention. The application of the confining reinforcement on the masonry units during manufacturing is also an economic and time saving consideration. Also, glue type and application technique are considered to be of major importance, especially with respect to the cure and hardening times needed by different glues, how sticky are they before and after applying it to the wall (for workmanship purposes) and the consistency and viscosity of the glue (in order to be workable, not too hard nor too fluid) along with its capabilities to withstand weathering and harsh environment (long term durability issues).

[93] If no glue is used, say with metallic or non-metallic fiber mesh type of reinforcement, then variations such as spacing of openings in the mesh, the use of different strengths and stiffness, fabrication method, etc. may be used. A mesh type of reinforcement made of metallic or non-metallic material may be utilized in this embodiment. Variation such as: the use of individual strips; end anchorage technique; adherence to the face of the wall; and type of FRP, or method of fabricating the reinforcement might be included and are considered within the scope of the invention.

[94] Two confinement concepts are investigated according to the status of the structure whether new or existing construction. The first technique, which is applicable to new construction, uses mortar joints confinement in the form of FRP strips embedded in the mortar joints, (see FIG 3). Variables includes anchoring the FRP strips on the outer or inner faces of the wall by gluing them using epoxy resin, or simply cutting the FRP strips to the exact dimensions of the mortal- joints without surface anchoring. Both these two systems were used in conjunction with or without external FRP overlay wrapping system for both grouted prisms (resembling reinforced masonry), and URM prisms.

[95] Turning now to Figure 3, one may see several pre-fabricated FRP shapes for new construction (mortar joint confinement). Figure 3(a) illustrates an application to an infill wall 302 that utilizes the confinement technique in the critical areas of the infill wall (wall corners which typically suffer corner crushing) 304 from Figure 3(b). As may be seen, the goal is to utilize the teaching of the proposed invention 304 to strengthen the corners of infill wall 302. The select areas and locations to be confined within a wall or any other structural member are a matter of design choice. Turning now to Figure 3(c), one may see the teachings of the present invention utilized in conjunction with a shear wall 308. In this embodiment, blocks 304 are utilized as well.

[96] Turning now to Figure 3(d) possible alternatives to the mortar joint confinement method are illustrated as alternatives A through L. It should be appreciated that these alternatives are merely provided for illustrative purposes and that the inventive concept is not limited to merely the illustrated embodiments. As may be seen in attentive A, each block is wrapped on all faces and this embodiment may be modified to have at least two adjacent faces wrapped on each block. Alternative B illustrates the use of FRP between two blocks. In this embodiment, the tabs are extended in different directions. Alternative C is similar to alternative B except that the tabs are both facing in the same direction. It should be appreciated that the tabs may face either up or down. Alternative D illustrates a "T" configuration. In this embodiment, the top of the "T" may be disposed on either side of the blocks. Alternative E illustrates an "I" configuration. Alternative F illustrates the use of at least two strips disposed in the grout. In this embodiment, the strips may extend the length of the blocks or may be shorter. I addition, the strips may^"be oriented to extend the width of each block or shorter. Alternative G illustrates the use of biscuits made from the FRP that are disposed in the grout. It should be appreciated that these biscuits may be of any shape as may be seen is Figure 3(e). Alternative H illustrates the use of discrete blocks, slices or wedges of FRP in the grout. Alternative I illustrates the use of FRP having a fiber orientation in plane with a face of the blocks. It should be appreciated that the fiber orientation may be adjusted to be perpendicular to this plane or at any angle as illustrated in Alternative J. Alternative K illustrates the FRP being applied as a sheet across adjacent blocks. In this embodiment, the fiber orientation may be in any direction. Alternative L illustrates two or more sheets being applied across adjacent blocks where each sheet has a fiber orientation that this different from the other.

[97] It should be appreciated that the illustrated alternative are possibilities because FRP possess such flexibility that seemingly countless geometric patterns may be utilized via epoxy resin (glued) on the surface, some possibilities of shapes are illustrated by element 316.

[98] While the above embodiments have addressed the use of an existing roll of FRP, it should be appreciated that in an alternative embodiment, one would incorporate a mesh or other form of confining reinforcement FRP in the masonry units during the manufacturing process of the units, which creates a ready to uses confined masonry units without the need to apply any confining reinforcement in the field during construction. The same concept can be applied to precast concrete structures. Where the confined members can be delivered to the construction site with the confinement already embedded in them before or during concrete casting. One may see the different reinforcement materials used in the present invention in their original shape as rolls of fiber, fabric, rope, and metallic reinforcement in Figure 26. Other preferred shapes for a wall are illustrated in Figure 24(a).

[99] Turning back to Figures 4(b) and 4(c) one may see how the teachings of the present invention may be utilized to reduce web-splitting 424. As may be seen by element 450, web splitting has occurred in the blocks. But the blocks remain affixed to each other as illustrated by expansion 460.

[100] FIG. 5 shows the stress-strain relationships for different materials considered in the proposed invention. The figure shows the wide range of materials properties that can be used effectively for the purposes of the current invention. It should be appreciated that this figure is merely exemplary and that other types of fibers and metallic reinforcement can also be used, the figure shows only an example, to demonstrate the wide variations of usable materials.

[101] FIGs. 6(a) through 6(d) shows a FRP retrofitted wall and damage in an existing infill wall modified by applying FRP laminates (El-Dakhakhni et al. 2004) without the teachings of the present invention. Although the entire wall (illustrated as element 601) was retrofitted with FRP on both sides of the wall. The increase in compressive strength and energy dissipation was limited by lack of confinement through the thickness of the wall and lack of anchorage of the applied FRP. The FRP retrofitted upper right corner of the infill wall is illustrated as 610, and the resultant damage as 615. The application of FRP in the upper left corner of the infill wall is illustrated as 620, and the resultant damage is illustrated as 625. The application of FRP in the lower left corner of the infill wall is illustrated as 630, and the resultant damage is illustrated as 635. The application of FRP in the lower right corner of the infill wall is illustrated as 640, and the resultant damage is illustrated as 645. It should be noticed that the damage 615, 625, 635 and 645 limited the added advantage of using the FRP laminates to enhance the wall behavior. This is because after web splitting at the corners, the face shells on both sides of the wall walked out of the frame, thus terminating their contribution to strengthening and stiffening the frame. This behavior resulted in not making full use of the rest of the wall which suffered no damage. The teachings of the present invention is expected to overcome this undesirable behavior and, by confining the wall corners, make full use of the wall as a strengthening and stiffening element to the frame. By allowing confined corner crushing rather than web splitting to propagate, significant increase in the energy dissipated by the wall would occur, thus leading to less damage to the whole structure under dynamic loading induced by earthquake, blast or hurricane loading, etc. It should be appreciated the merely using the teaching illustrated in this Figure does generate advantages over prior art devices. When combining these teachings with the teachings in Figures 25 and 27 one is able to develop a superior result.

[102] In a similar fashion, FIGs. 7(a) through 7(d) shows a FRP retrofitted wall having a symmetrical door opening and the damage associated therewith. The entire wall is illustrated as element 702. The application of FRP in the upper right corner of the symmetrical door opening is illustrated as 710, and the resultant damage is illustrated as 715. The application of FRP in the upper center portion of the symmetrical door opening is illustrated as 720; the application of FRP in the upper left corner of the symmetrical door opening is illustrated as 730, and the resultant damage is illustrated as 735. It should be noticed that the web splitting damage 715 and 735 limited the wall 702 strength when the corners around the door openings were not reinforced by the teachings of the present invention.

[103] FIG. 8 shows web-splitting failure of a URM shear wall tested by Elgawady et al (2002). Again, had the proposed invention been applied to this wall, such failure would have been avoided.

[104] FIG. 9 shows wall toe crushing and out-of-plane walk-out of a face shell of a URM shear wall tested by Elgawady et al (2002). Again had the proposed invention been applied to this wall, such failure would have been avoided.

[105] FIG. 10 is a table of the test matrix for the research program conducted by the inventors on prisms constructed using variations of the invention. There are three main types of FRP as discussed earlier. In addition, we are currently using fiber mesh and metallic mesh. Any strong enough material that can be easily shaped and fit in the mortar joint would work for new construction application and is considered within the teachings of the present invention. However, FRP ropes, fiber ropes or metallic wires, cables, etc. are the most promising for existing construction applications.

[106] FIGs. 12(a) through 12(d) show the hazardous behavior of a URM prism (representing a column or a critical part of a wall) after undergoing proper testing conditions, which typically results in complete disintegration of the specimen. Herein: the front view of the damage 1202, a close-up of said view 1210, a left top-side look-in view 1220, and a cleaned off back view 1230 are shown.

[107] FIG. 13 is a graph displaying the load displacement results of test prisms shown in FIG 12 which shows the noticeably brittle behavior of URM after reaching their maximum load. This is illustrated by only a small increase in vertical shortening (horizontal axis) after the maximum load was reached (vertical axis).

[108] FIGs. 14(a) through 14(d) show the improvement to the structure in FIGs 12(a) through 12(d) found through the use of extended fibers confinement. Wherein: the front view 1402, and a close-up of said view 1410; a back view 1420; and a side view 1430 are shown. The confining fiber reinforcement placed in the mortar joints is extended and anchored on the masonry face as illustrated in Figure 3(d).

[109] FIG. 15 is a graph displaying the load displacement results of test prisms shown in FIG 14 which shows the noticeably damage tolerant behavior after reaching the maximum load of prisms tested using the proposed joint reinforcement to create confinement. The extensive additional vertical shortening (horizontal axis) following maximum load (vertical axis) shows energy dissipation and prevention of face shell separation.

[110] FIGs. 16(a) through 16(d) show the improvement to the URM prisms in FIG 12(a) through 12(d) found through the use of trimmed fibers confinement. Wherein: the front view 1602, back view 1610, right side view 1620, and left side view 1630 are shown. The confining fiber reinforcement placed in the mortar joints is trimmed flush with the face of the masonry and is not exposed to view as illustrated in Figure 3(d).

[Ill] FIG. 17 is a graph displaying the load displacement results of testing prisms shown in FIG 16 which shows the noticeably damage tolerant behavior after reaching the maximum load of prisms tested using the proposed joint reinforcement. That is large deformations after peak load with delay of damage.

[112] FIGs. 18 (a) and 18(b) show masonry, grouted (to simulate reinforced masonry), after undergoing proper testing conditions. Wherein: the front-right profile view 1802, and a close-up of said view 1810 are shown.

[113] FIGs. 19(a), 19(b) and 19(c) are graphs displaying the load displacement results of testing prisms shown in FIG 18. Which shows limited ductility after reaching maximum load. Almost no ductility was found as there was very little vertical deformation after peak load was reached as brittle failure occurred.

[114] FIG. 20(a) through 20(c) show the improvement of the grouted masonry of that of FIG 18(a) and 18(b) when extended fibers confinement is utilized. Wherein: the front view 2002, and a close-up of said view 2010; and a back view 2020 are shown. The noticeably damage tolerant behavior after reaching the maximum load of prisms tested using the proposed joint reinforcement can be seen in FIG 20(a) through 20(c). The confining fiber reinforcement placed in the mortar joints is extended and anchored on the masonry face as illustrated in Figure 3(d).

[115] FIG. 21 is a graph displaying the load displacement results of tested prisms shown in FIG 20(a) through 20(c). It shows unprecedented ductility and energy dissipation capabilities represented by the slowly descending load with the significantly increased displacement. This behavior is almost impossible to achieve in brittle materials such as concrete and masonry without significant structural intervention and applying major confinement schemes unlike the proposed invention that simply places very thin layer of confining reinforcement within the mortar joints of masonry.

[116] FIG. 22(a) through 22(f) show the improvement of the grouted masonry of that of FIG 18(a) and 18(b) when trimmed fibers confinement is utilized. Wherein: the front view 2202, and a tilted close-up of said view 2210; the front right edge view 2220, and a close-up of said view 2230; the right side view 2240; and a cleaned right side view 2250 are shown. The noticeably damage tolerant behavior after reaching the maximum load of prisms tested using the proposed joint reinforcement can be seen in FIG. 22(a) through 22(f). The confining fiber reinforcement placed in the mortar joints over block webs through the thickness of the prism and along face shells along the length of the prism. It was trimmed flush with the face of the masonry and is not exposed to view as illustrated in Figure 3(d).

[117] FIG. 23 shows a graph displaying the load versus vertical shortening results of testing prisms shown in FIG 20(a) through 20(c). These show unprecedented ductility and energy dissipation capabilities represented by the slowly descending load with significantly increased shortening. This behavior is not possible to achieve in brittle materials such as concrete and masonry without significant structural intervention and applying major confinement schemes unlike the proposed invention that simply places very thin layer of confining reinforcement within the mortar joints of masonry.

[118] FIG 24 illustrates some of the different reinforcement materials used in the proposed invention. Figure 24(a) shows a preferred shape of the reinforcement as it would be in a wall; Figure 24(b) is a close up on the glass FRP; Figure 24(c) is a close up on the metallic mesh; and Figure 24(d) is a close up on the fiber mesh.

[119] FIG. 25 illustrates some of the different reinforcement materials used in the proposed invention already placed in on the masonry blocks ready to go in a wall. Figure 25(a) shows a metallic mesh; Figure 25 (b) shows a fiber mesh; Figure 25(c) shows the use of extended glass FRP; Figure 25(d) shows trimmed glass FRP; Figure 25(e) shows mortar placement on top of the metallic mesh of Figure 25 (a); and Figure 25 (f) shows mortar placement on top of the fiber mesh of Figure 25(b).

[120] FIG 26 illustrates some of the different reinforcement materials used in the proposed invention in their original shapes as rolls of fibers/fabric/ ropes/ metallic reinforcement.

[121] FIG 27 illustrates the installation of the proposed technique to retrofit existing construction. As may be seen in Figure 27(a) and 27 (b), holes are drilled into an existing wall to insert the FRP rope. In a preferred embodiment, the shape of the rope inside the wall is shown in cross section of Figure 27 (c).

[122] FIG. 28 illustrates the effect of using the teachings of the proposed technique to retrofit existing construction. As may be seen in Figure 28 (a) the FRP laminate is bulging when the proposed technique was not used. This resulted in a sudden loss of wall strength as soon as the FRP laminate bulged in an explosive manner. Thus, the benefits of the FRP diminished and the wall collapsed. Turning now to figure 28(b), the effect of using the proposed technique for existing construction in conjunction with FRP laminates is illustrated. The Fiber rope was soaked in resin and inserted in the drilled holes to create custom made stirrups wrapping both the FRP laminate and the wall section as illustrated in Figure 27(b) and 27 (c). Figure 28(b) shows that the wall did not suffer the same collapse and by containing the damage inside the laminate, enabled the wall to carry more load in a ductile manner and prevented sudden drop in the load carrying capacity and prevented the explosive brittle failure encountered in the case of using FRP laminates only without this embodiment of the current invention.

[123] FIG. 29 illustrates the effect of not using the teachings of the proposed technique for construction of new walls. The figures show the vertical web splitting that occurred in a wall tested by the inventors. As soon as the web splitting occurred (as a result of not using the proposed invention) the wall structural capacity started to decrease because of the loss of the effectiveness of the compression zone resulting from web splitting up to the wall's midheight. Utilizing the teachings of the present invention, either alone or in combination with FRP wrapping, substantially reduces this type of failure.

Prolific Examples:

[124] Preliminary results of testing four-blocks-high concrete masonry prisms confined using different techniques utilizing the teachings of the present invention are presented. Parameters included the wrapping effect, through wall confinement, anchoring and the effect of grout. The use of FRP materials appears to be very effective in enhancing strength and ductility of the strengthened prisms, with efficiency that depends on the tested variables.

[125] The experimental program included testing of thirteen different configurations of four-blocks-high concrete masonry prisms confined using different techniques. Parameter included the wrapping effect, through wall confinement, mortar joints confinement, anchoring and the effect of grout.

[126] Nominal (400x200x200 mm) hollow concrete masonry blocks (with round corners to avoid local stress concentration) certified to meet the provisions of ASTM C- 90 standard and Type S mortar (ASTM C-270) were used in the construction of the walls. The GFRP had 0.915 kg/m² of E-glass fibers in the form of woven fabric in one direction with roving in the orthogonal direction as weft to stabilize the fabric. The properties of the GFRP composites, given in FIG 11, were determined according to ASTM D-3039 specification. The results of the testing are illustrated in Figures 6 through 22.

[127] While the invention has been primarily described in conjunction with masonry, it should be appreciated that the teachings of the present invention may be utilized with other construction techniques such as concrete structures, other types of masonry such as concrete block, stone and brick masonry, and is designed to accommodate all masonry. While the technique serves as shrinkage and expansion control and shear reinforcement as well, the technique's main function is to provide confinement, dissipate energy and maintain the structural integrity of the masonry and concrete structural member which is typically compromised under dynamic loading resulting from, accidental, man-made or natural loading.

[128] The present teachings of the invention may be used in cast in place and precast concrete wall constructions, with some modifications, as a FRP ladder type of reinforcement and as rope confining stirrups. It can also be used for columns and beams as well as for bridge piers, girders and bridges' super and sub structures at critical sections.

[129] Although the present invention has been fully described in conjunction with several embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims, unless they depart therefrom.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A confinement/reinforcement member for a concrete structure, said confinement reinforcement member comprising:

a polymeric matrix reinforced with fibers, said polymeric matrix having a longitudinal and transverse direction, said fibers being aligned with said polymeric matrix to provide support to said concrete structure, wherein said fibers are selected from the group comprising: inorganic fibers, aramid fibers, carbon fibers, and combination thereof.

2. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 1, wherein said aramid fiber is selected from the group comprising: Kevlar 29, Kevlar 49, Kevlar 149 and combination thereof.

3. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 1, wherein said carbon fiber is selected from the group comprising: pan-based carbon fibers, polyacrylonitrile fibers, cellulose fibers, pitch-based carbon fibers, and combinations thereof.

4. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 3, wherein said pan- based carbon fibers have diameters of 5-7 μm.

5. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 3, wherein said pitch- based carbon fibers have diameters of 10-12 μm.

6. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 1, wherein said polymeric matrix is a FRP laminate, mesh or rope or metallic reinforcement in the form of plates, mesh or cables or wires.

7. The confinement/reinforcement member recite in claim 1, wherein said concrete structure is selected from the group comprising: concrete block, brick masonry, stone masonry, masonry tiles, autoclaved aerated units, calcium silicate units, and other types of sandwich construction.

8. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 1, wherein said fibers are metallic.

9. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 1, wherein said fibers are non-metallic.

10. A confinement/reinforcement member for a concrete structure, said confinement reinforcement member comprising: at least one concrete structure that is selected from the group comprising: concrete block, brick masonry, stone masonry, masonry tiles, autoclaved aerated units, calcium silicate units, and other types of sandwich construction; and a polymeric matrix reinforced with fibers, said polymeric matrix having a longitudinal and transverse direction, said fibers being aligned with said polymeric matrix to provide support to said concrete structure by being at least partially affixed to said concrete structure, wherein said fibers are selected from the group comprising: inorganic fibers, aramid fibers, carbon fibers, and combination thereof.

11. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 10, wherein said aramid fiber is selected from the group comprising: Kevlar 29, Kevlar 49, Kevlar 149 and combination thereof.

12. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 10, wherein said carbon fiber is selected from the group comprising: pan-based carbon fibers, polyacrylonitrile fibers, cellulose fibers, pitch-based carbon fibers, and combinations thereof.

13. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 12, wherein said pan- based carbon fibers have diameters of 5-7 μm.

14. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 12, wherein said pitch- based carbon fibers have diameters of 10-12 μm.

15. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 10, wherein said polymeric matrix is a FRP laminate, mesh or rope or metallic reinforcement in the form of plates, mesh or cables or wires.

16. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 10, wherein said fibers, are placed parallel to the directions that need to be confined on said concrete structure.

17. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 10, wherein said fibers are metallic.

18. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 10, wherein said fibers are non-metallic.

19. A confinement/reinforcement member for a concrete structure, said confinement reinforcement member comprising: at least two concrete structures that is selected from the group comprising: concrete block, brick masonry, stone masonry, masonry tiles, autoclaved aerated units, calcium silicate units, and other types of sandwich construction; and a polymeric matrix reinforced with fibers, said polymeric matrix having a longitudinal and transverse direction, said fibers being aligned with said polymeric matrix to provide support to said concrete structures by being at least partially affixed between said concrete structures.

20. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 19, wherein said fibers are selected from the group comprising: inorganic fibers, aramid fibers, carbon fibers, and combination thereof.

21. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 20, wherein said aramid fiber is selected from the group comprising: Kevlar 29, Kevlar 49, Kevlar 149 and combination thereof.

22. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 20, wherein said carbon fiber is selected from the group comprising: pan-based carbon fibers, polyacrylonitrile fibers, cellulose fibers, pitch-based carbon fibers, and combinations thereof.

23. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 22, wherein said pan- based carbon fibers have diameters of 5-7 μm.

24. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 22, wherein said pitch- based carbon fibers have diameters of 10-12 μm.

25. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 17, wherein said polymeric matrix is a FRP laminate, mesh or rope or metallic reinforcement in the form of plates, mesh or cables or wires.

26. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 17 wherein said fibers, are placed parallel to the directions that need to be confined on said concrete structure.

27. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 19, wherein said fibers are metallic.

28. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 19, wherein said fibers are non-metallic.

29. A confinement reinforcement member for a masonry structure, said confinement reinforcement member comprising:

a polymeric matrix reinforced with non-metallic fibers, said polymeric matrix having a longitudinal and transverse direction, said fibers being aligned with said polymeric matrix to provide support in said transverse direction with respect to said masonry structure, wherein said fibers are selected from the group comprising: inorganic fibers, aramid fibers, carbon fibers, and combination thereof.

30. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 29, wherein said aramid fiber is selected from the group comprising: Kevlar 29, Kevlar 49, Kevlar 149 and combination thereof.

31. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 29, wherein said carbon fiber is selected from the group comprising: pan-based carbon fibers, polyacrylonitrile fibers, cellulose fibers, pitch-based carbon fibers, and combinations thereof.

32. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 31, wherein said pan- based carbon fibers have diameters of 5-7 μm.

33. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 31, wherein said pitch- based carbon fibers have diameters of 10-12 μm.

34. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 29, wherein said polymeric matrix is a FRP laminate, mesh or rope in the form of plates, mesh or cables or wires.

35. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 29, wherein said polymeric matrix is flexible in a formed state.

36. The confinement/reinforcement member recite in claim 29, wherein said masonry structure is selected from the group comprising: concrete block, brick masonry, stone masonry, masonry tiles, autoclaved aerated units, calcium silicate units, and other types of sandwich construction.

37. A confinement/reinforcement member for a masonry structure, said confinement reinforcement member comprising: at least one masonry structure that is selected from the group comprising: concrete block, brick masonry, stone masonry, masonry tiles, autoclaved aerated units, calcium silicate units, and other types of sandwich construction; and a polymeric matrix reinforced with non-metallic fibers, said polymeric matrix having a longitudinal and transverse direction, said fibers being aligned with said polymeric matrix to provide support to said masonry structure by being at least partially affixed to said masonry structure, wherein said fibers are selected from the group comprising: inorganic fibers, aramid fibers, carbon fibers, and combination thereof.

38. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 37, wherein said aramid fiber is selected from the group comprising: Kevlar 29, Kevlar 49, Kevlar 149 and combination thereof.

39. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 37, wherein said carbon fiber is selected from the group comprising: pan-based carbon fibers, Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers, cellulose fibers, pitch-based carbon fibers, and combinations thereof.

40. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 39, wherein said pan- based carbon fibers have diameters of 5-7 μm.

41. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 39, wherein said pitch- based carbon fibers have diameters of 10-12 μm.

42. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 37, wherein said polymeric matrix is a FRP laminate, mesh or rope \in the form of plates, mesh or cables or wires.

43. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 37, wherein said polymeric matrix is flexible in a formed state.

44. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 37, wherein said polymeric matrix is affixed to said masonry structure by a thermoset matrix which at least partially surrounds said fibers and also to serve as a gluing agent to adhere a face shell of said masonry structure and to a mortar joint.

45. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 44, wherein said thermoset matrix is selected from the group consisting of epoxy, vinylester or combinations thereof.

46. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 37, wherein said polymeric matrix is affixed to said masonry structure by a normal or modified mortar.

47. A confinement/reinforcement member for a masonry structure, said confinement reinforcement member comprising: at least two masonry structures that is selected from the group comprising: concrete block, brick masonry, stone masonry, masonry tiles, autoclaved aerated units, calcium silicate units, and other types of sandwich construction; and a polymeric matrix reinforced with fibers, said polymeric matrix having a longitudinal and transverse direction, said fibers being aligned with said polymeric matrix to provide support to said masonry structures by being at least partially affixed between said masonry structures.

48. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 47, wherein said fibers are selected from the group comprising: inorganic fibers, aramid fibers, carbon fibers, and combination thereof.

49. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 48, wherein said aramid fiber is selected from the group comprising: Kevlar 29, Kevlar 49, Kevlar 149 and combination thereof.

50. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 48, wherein said carbon fiber is selected from the group comprising: pan-based carbon fibers, Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers, cellulose fibers, pitch-based carbon fibers, and combinations thereof.

51. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 50, wherein said pan- based carbon fibers have diameters of 5-7 μm.

52. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 50, wherein said pitch- based carbon fibers have diameters of 10-12 μm.

53. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 47, wherein said polymeric matrix is a FRP laminate, mesh or rope or metallic reinforcement in the form of plates, mesh or cables or wires.

54. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 47, wherein said polymeric matrix is flexible in a formed state.

55. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 47, wherein said polymeric matrix is affixed to said masonry structure by a thermoset matrix which at least partially surrounds said fibers and also to serve as a gluing agent to adhere a face shell of said masonry structure and to a mortar joint.

56. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 55, wherein said thermoset matrix is selected from the group consisting of epoxy, vinylester or combinations thereof.

57. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 47, wherein said polymeric matrix is affixed to said masonry structure by a normal or modified mortar.

58. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 47, wherein said fibers are metallic.

59. The confinement/reinforcement member recited in claim 47, wherein said fibers are non-metallic.