numerical investigation of fe-sma strengthened masonry walls under lateral loading

This study explores the application of fe-based shape memory alloys (fe-smas) for the seismic strengthening of unreinforced masonry (urm) walls. due to their unique thermomechanical behavior and cost-effectiveness, fe-smas offer a promising alternative to traditional reinforcement materials. using abaqus finite element software, numerical models were developed and validated against experimental results to examine the structural performance of masonry walls reinforced with fe-sma strips. three reinforcement configurations were investigated: vertical, v-shaped, and λ-shaped layouts, each subjected to different levels of post-tensioning stress ranging from 100 mpa to 400 mpa. the results revealed a substantial improvement in lateral resistance and stiffness across all models. the vertically reinforced walls exhibited the highest gains, with up to a 96% increase in base shear resistance. v-shaped and λ-shaped reinforcements also showed significant enhancements, mainly due to the bracing effect of the inclined sma strips. while the failure mode remained primarily diagonal shear in all cases, the introduction of post-tensioning delayed crack initiation and improved energy dissipation capacity. the frictional interaction between the sma strips and masonry units, augmented by the post-tensioning force, was identified as a key factor in enhancing performance. this study demonstrates that fe-sma reinforcement is a viable, innovative technique for retrofitting masonry walls, especially in earthquake-prone regions. the ease of installation, combined with the ability to apply force through thermal activation, makes fe-smas a highly practical solution for improving the safety and resilience of existing masonry structures.