Improving structural performance of timber wall panels by inexpensive FRP retrofitting techniques

This paper presents an experimental investigation conducted on traditional timber structures, known as Dhajji Dewari (DD). These timber structures are mostly constructed in mountainous regions and other places where availability of conventional building construction materials is scarce. DD has prominent features such as its ability to resist lateral forces, but there has been little work done on the retrofitting aspect of DD structures. In this experimental study, 5 reduced scale DD wall samples have been tested, in two phases, for structural performance. The walls were tested under in-plane lateral monotonic loading, and their response was then evaluated. In the 1st phase of testing, conventional strengthening techniques were used to find the progressive joint failure pattern, while in the 2nd phase of testing, those damaged critical joints were retrofitted with CFRP. It was demonstrated that by using FRP for wall retrofitting, not only is the load and displacement carrying capacity of the wall enhanced, but its ductility and energy dissipation are also significantly improved, thereby validating the seismic performance of DD construction.