Compressive behavior of hollow block masonry prism plastered with steel fiber reinforced mortar with microsilica and nanosilica

The behavior of concrete hollow block masonry prism plastered with steel fiber reinforced mortars with nanosilica under axial compressive load is investigated experimentally and numerically using nonlinear finite element simulation. Eight prisms 400 mm length × 400 mm height × 100 mm thickness, consisting of two layers hollow concrete blocks joined together by normal mortar were subjected to compressive load until failure. Two control specimens without plaster, three specimens plastered using steel fiber reinforced mortar with nanosilica having thicknesses of 10 mm, 20 mm and 30 mm and three specimens without nanosilica in the mortar were tested under compressive load up to failure. Experimental results and its comparison with nonlinear finite element modeling using plastic damage model is presented. Experimental results showed that the failure of the control prism initiated with a vertical crack in the web of the hollow block simultaneously with a vertical crack in the middle face of the block. In case of the plastered prisms, the splitting of the web section occurred first, followed by a middle crack in the face of the block. The plastered prism depicted enhanced strength depending on the thickness of the plaster. The plaster prevents out of plane failure of the hollow block, sliced at the web under axial load. The finite element modeling using ABAQUS and plastic damage model captured with good accuracy the failure mode and maximum compressive strength of the prism.