A Simple and Low-Cost Numerical Model for FRP-Masonry Interface Behavior

In recent years, strengthening with Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRPs) has emerged as an effective way for the structural upgrading of masonry elements. In such typology of external reinforcement, the bond quality is crucial for the increase of the load bearing capacity. The bond efficacy beyond the elastic limit can be studied analytically or numerically via several different models, where the most important issue to tackle is the reproduction of the typical brittle behavior of the substrate. In this paper, a simple numerical approach which models FRP as elastic and lumps all non-linearity on the FRP/masonry interface is proposed. The non-linear behavior of such interface is modeled in a simplified but effective way integrating numerically the differential equations deduced from equilibrium and compatibility (once that a non-linear constitutive relationship between tangential stress and slip is assumed at the interface). Such integration is carried out by means of a particularly simple forward scheme that requires the estimation of the slip value and its derivatives on specific knot points. A comparison against existing literature indicated that the proposed numerical procedure can adequately reproduce global load-displacement curves in standard single lap shear tests, as well predict the local slip behavior.