Strengthening of Confined Masonry Walls with Openings Using Externally Bonded Reinforced Composites

The use of externally bonded composites to strengthen confined masonry (CM) walls is gaining popularity as a means to enhance earthquake resistance. This study employed two strengthening techniques—fabric-reinforced cementitious matrix bands and hybrid short-fiber cementitious composite—to mitigate the adverse effects of openings in CM walls. Initially, two CM walls with a central window and door opening were tested under in-plane cyclic loading. Subsequently, identical wall specimens were constructed and reinforced using the selected techniques. The strengthened walls exhibited significant improvements, with in-plane capacity increasing by a factor of 1.7 and energy dissipation, by a factor of 3.7. Additionally, the externally bonded composites effectively reduced excessive distortions around the openings. The proposed strengthening methods proved effective and offer a viable solution for enhancing the seismic performance of CM walls with openings.