Enhancing Durability and Structural Performance of Shear Walls Using Titanium Wires

This study presents the experimental results of a series of shear tests conducted on wall panels repaired using a combination of two innovative techniques: jacketing with a GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer) grid inserted in a cementitious matrix on one side of the wall panels, and reinforced repointing of mortar joints with high-strength steel strands or titanium cords (Reticulatus method) on the opposite side. The experiments were performed on laboratory-assembled panels using the diagonal compression test method. The masonry materials included barely cut calcareous stones. A deliberately weak lime-based mortar was used to replicate historic construction practices to apply the retrofit materials. The recorded data included failure loads, shear stresses, in-plane deflections and strains, and failure modes. The experimental results showed that repairing pre-cracked wall panels using the proposed retrofitting method can prevent masonry disaggregation and enhance deformation capacity but cannot restore the continuity of the masonry within the wall core. Meanwhile, for cracked panels repaired with thin titanium wires, the main finding is that the repair successfully restores the original shear strength and stiffness of the masonry.