FiberI-Reinforcmed polymer strings

SEISMIC RETROFITTING OF UNREINF or CED LOAD BEARING BRICK WALLS IN HIST or IC BUILDINGS USING FIBER-REINF or CED POLYMER STRINGS
APPROVED BY:

Assoc. Prof. Cem Yalçın. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .
(Thesis Supervis or )
Assist. Prof. Kutay or akçal. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .
Assoc. Prof. Ercan Yüksel. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .
DATE OF APPROVAL: 15.01.2013

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who contributed the development of this research. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my advis or Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cem Yalçın f or his valuable help in instructing, guiding and supp or ting me throughout the duration of this thesis. Also, I would like to thank the members of my Master’s thesis examination committee; Assist. Prof. Kutay or akçal, and Assoc. Prof. Ercan Yüksel, f or their in-depth comments and advice. I would like to thank Assist. Prof. Ahmet Anil Dindar f or his imp or tant contribution to the analysis stage of this study with the software he developed. Civil Engineer Ali Bayraktar and Hafez Keypour from SGM Construction provided required materials and contributed this research financially, which is highly appreciated. Special thanks to my friends Tevfik Terzioğlu, Hasan Altun and Furkan Çelenli f or their assistance and suggestions during the construction and testing of the specimens, and to the technicians, Hasan Şenel, Hamdi Ayar, Ümit Melep and Mesut Kardaş f or their help in the experimental phase of this research. I would like to thank my supervis or s Ramiz Soylu and Tayfun Bayramkaya from SURYAPI End. Tic. A.Ş. f or their patience and tolerance at w or k f or the time required f or this thesis to be completed. Finally, I would like to thank my family and my love Ece Uçar f or their continuous supp or t and encouragement.

ABSTRACT
SEISMIC RETROFITTING OF UNREINF or CED LOAD BEARING BRICK WALLS IN HIST or IC BUILDINGS USING FIBER-REINF or CED POLYMER STRINGS Most of the hist or ical buildings and monuments in the w or ld are unreinf or ced masonry (URM) type and they are vulnerable to seismic actions. Considering the seismic activities in the regions where hist or ical masonry structures are located, their structural assessment and rehabilitation or retrofitting if necessary against seismic f or ces are needed in or der to preserve them f or future generations. International or ganizations such as UNESCO (United Nations educational, Scientific and Cultural or ganization) and ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) try to increase the awareness in need f or preserving these w or ld-heritage structures. However, hist or ical masonry structures still need retrofitting techniques that are much different than that of buildings that were built using conventional construction practice since the architectural features of the hist or ic buildings must remain unchanged after the retrofitting process. Theref or e, conventional methods have been used in retrofitting w or ks are not suitable f or such purposes. In this study, the use of carbon fiber-reinf or ced polymer (CFRP) strings placed in m or tar join ts f or strengthening of URM structures was investigated. Nearly full-scaled four URM brick wall specimens with aspect ratio of 1.00 were tested under varying axial load and cyclic lateral loading. Two of the specimens were tested as control specimens while other two specimens were retrofitted with h or izontally- or iented CFRP strings. Also, one of the tested control specimens were repaired and retrofitted and re-tested in or der to see the effect of this retrofitting technique after substantial damage occurred. Test result s showed that energy dissipation capacity of the wall specimens were enhanced with the proposed technique. In addition, the crack openings due to shear effects were minimized while keeping the hist or ic and aesthetical view of the structures intact, since they were directly placed inside the m or tar join ts and debonding of strings were prevented. However, no significant increase in the lateral load carrying capacity of the specimens was observed.