Bond of steel bars to masonry mortar joints: Test results and analytical modelling

In this paper, the preliminary results of a series of pull-out tests conducted on mortar cylinders with embedded bars are presented. The bars are made of high strength stainless steel and are of helical shape to increase mechanical interlocking with the surrounding mortar. Usually, such bars are employed in situ to realize structural repointing in the case of fair-faced masonry walls. To this aim, they are inserted in the mortar bed joints of masonry for providing tensile strength to the walls and with the function of crack stitching. The aim of the present experimental tests is to determine the bond-slip relationship for bars embedded in masonry. Firstly, pull-out tests are conducted on mortar cylinders considering different embedded lengths of the bars. Further tests are on-going on masonry specimens with bars embedded in the mortar joints. An analytical investigation is also carried out for the interpretation of the pull-out test results.