Seismic Protection and Retrofitting of the Masonry Buildings

The paper defines first masonry as the only construction material dependent by gravity. The complementarity of its two components, elastic bricks and ductil lime mortar, for balancing the original masonry under vertical loads is supported by historical and biblical arguments. The long lasting use of masonry is explained by its spontaneous capacity to avoid stress concentrations. The two inventions of Industrial Revolution, cement and cored bricks, diminished or even cancelled its capacity of adaptation. Seismic response of modern masonry is difficult to be controlled, official codes are contradictory while the Cultural Heritage based on masonry is in danger. As solution the paper proposes to reinforce masonry with polymer grids and formally include it by professional codes. For this purpose numerical and experimental data are available, while the method is simply to apply and financially attractive.