Enhancing the Performance of Masonry Structures Using Cost- Effective ECC and FRCM

Unreinforced masonry structures are highly vulnerable to out-of-plane and shear failures due to their low tensile strength, brittle behavior, and limited deformation capacity. Strengthening techniques such as engineered cementitious composites (ECC) and fabric-reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM) have emerged as promising solutions; however, their comparative performance under different loading conditions remains insufficiently understood. This study experimentally evaluates masonry strengthened with cost-effective ECC and FRCM under out-of-plane flexure and diagonal shear, focusing on strength, stiffness, ductility, and failure characteristics, with results normalized against unstrengthened specimens. Both systems significantly improved structural performance. cost-effective ECC and FRCM considerably enhanced flexural and shear strength, with cost-effective ECC providing notable improvements in stiffness and ductility, while FRCM offered substantial strength gains influenced by fabric–matrix interaction. cost-effective ECC exhibited distributed microcracking and stable post-peak response, whereas FRCM performance was often governed by bond characteristics, leading to localized cracking in some cases. The findings highlight distinct response mechanisms of cost-effective ECC and FRCM systems, providing a basis for selecting appropriate strengthening techniques for masonry structures under different loading conditions.