Freeze/Thaw Effect on the Mechanical Properties of FRCM System

Nowadays the use of FRPs (fibre reinforced polymers) and FRCMs (fabric reinforced cementitious mortar) is largely adopted in the field of the structural retrofitting. Nonetheless, the durability issue is a lightly investigated phenomenon, but it is important for the long-term effects on the effectiveness of external reinforcement. This paper presents the results about the main aspects related to the effects of the freeze/thaw cycles on the mechanical characteristics and on the stress-transfer mechanism between both the fabric and the matrix and the composite strip with respect to the concrete substrate. The investigated parameters were the number of layers and the FRCM-reinforcement type. In particular, the direct tensile, the single-lap and direct-shear test were all performed and compared.