This study demonstrates that Textile-Reinforced Mortar (TRM) systems offer a practical, cost-effective, and sustainable solution for improving the seismic safety of unreinforced masonry (URM) walls, both for post-earthquake repair and preventive retrofitting. TRM significantly enhances load-bearing capacity, ductility, and energy dissipation, addressing the urgent need for resilient and compatible strengthening techniques in earthquake-prone areas. Experimental results reveal that TRM reinforcement increases in-plane load-bearing capacity by 180% in repaired walls and up to 230% in retrofitted walls compared to unreinforced specimens. Displacement capacity under cyclic loading improves by 35% for repaired and 20% for retrofitted walls, while ductility, shear strength, and energy dissipation improve by factors of up to 5.0, 4.8, and 1.1, respectively. Digital image correlation (DIC) and finite element modeling confirm a shift in failure mode from shear to flexure-dominated mechanisms, resulting in more uniform crack distribution and reduced local damage concentration. Comparison with theoretical models such as ACI 549.4R-20 and Eurocode 8 validates the reliability of the methods used. These findings provide engineers and practitioners with a robust, evidence-based framework to select and design TRM interventions that enhance the seismic resilience of both existing and new masonry structures, especially in high seismic risk regions.
Glass textile reinforced mortar (G-TRM) improves the shear behavior of masonry walls.
In comparison to the control specimen, the experimental results demonstrated improvements in the repaired wall's ductility, energy dissipation, and shear strength by factors 1.1, 2.0, and 1.7 times, respectively, as well as in the retrofitted wall by factors 1.1, 2.4, and 2.7 times, respectively.
The numerical results of the study on 54 walls increased the ductility and the shear strength by 1.1 to 1.7,2 and 6.6 times, respectively, compared with the control.
Assarzadeh Mahani, H. , Yekrangnia, M. and Mahmoudi, M. (2026). In-Plane Static Cyclic Response of Solid Brick Masonry Walls Repaired and Retrofitted with TRM. (2309). Journal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering, 14(3), doi: 10.22075/jrce.2025.2309
MLA
Assarzadeh Mahani, H. , , Yekrangnia, M. , and Mahmoudi, M. . "In-Plane Static Cyclic Response of Solid Brick Masonry Walls Repaired and Retrofitted with TRM" .2309 , Journal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering, 14, 3, 2026, . doi: 10.22075/jrce.2025.2309
HARVARD
Assarzadeh Mahani, H., Yekrangnia, M., Mahmoudi, M. (2026). 'In-Plane Static Cyclic Response of Solid Brick Masonry Walls Repaired and Retrofitted with TRM', Journal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering, 14(3), 2309. doi: 10.22075/jrce.2025.2309
CHICAGO
H. Assarzadeh Mahani , M. Yekrangnia and M. Mahmoudi, "In-Plane Static Cyclic Response of Solid Brick Masonry Walls Repaired and Retrofitted with TRM," Journal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering, 14 3 (2026): 2309, doi: 10.22075/jrce.2025.2309
VANCOUVER
Assarzadeh Mahani, H., Yekrangnia, M., Mahmoudi, M. In-Plane Static Cyclic Response of Solid Brick Masonry Walls Repaired and Retrofitted with TRM. Journal of Rehabilitation in Civil Engineering, 2026; 14(3): 2309. doi: 10.22075/jrce.2025.2309
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