Behaviour of retrofitted masonry walls subjected to blast loading: Damage assessment

The response of brick masonry walls against blast loads has become an important topic in recent years. The debris from masonry walls or their collapse can become a major hazard when the main structure does not collapse. In this paper, a damage assessment of brick masonry walls subjected to blast loading is presented. For this purpose, three different retrofitting solutions have been tested in four full-scale experimental tests and compared with a control non-reinforced brick panel. The protective solutions which have been considered can be applied in a simple way, both in new or existing buildings. For the evaluation, several parameters have been collected and analyzed combining visual observations and analytical methods. Damage levels range from moderate damage to collapse. Among the three types of retrofitting solutions tested, results show that two of them were effective for strengthening brick masonry wall panels against blast loading.