Fiber reinforced polymer composites to improve seismic retrofit of masonry

Fiber reinforced polymer composites (FRPCs) constitute a class of advanced composite materials which have the potential to change significantly masonry rehabilitation and strengthening. Their light weight means that they do not alter the mass of a structure and thus the inertial forces from seismic excitation. Their strength and, in the case of sprayed glass FRP, their toughness, indicate that they can alter the load deformation response considerably for the better. So FRPCs open an exciting new line of possibilities for masonry. In this paper different FRPCs in construction and seismic retrofitting are reviewed.