Description
In the recent years the application of inorganic lime-based Textile Reinforced Mortar (TRM) for repairing existing masonry structures has gained a relevant interest due to the strong compatibility between masonry elements and the strengthening composite. In addition, several research groups worldwide have recently focused on the possible use of natural fibers for replacing the traditional reinforcement (e.g., steel, fiberglass, basalt, PBO, aramid, carbon, etc.) generally employed for TRM composites. As a matter of the fact, the natural fabrics (easily available and biodegradable) present comparable resistance to conventional fabrics, good compatibility with the lime-based mortars and elastic modules compatible with masonry elements. On the other hand, it has been also demonstrated that one of the most relevant aspects on their possible application is related their long-term and durability performances which can be mitigated with coating and impregnation treatments.
In this context, the present paper presents the preliminary result of an experimental campaign aimed at investigating the influence of a biodegradable coating system (PLA - polylactic acid) applied to different types of natural fibers (made of flax and jute) on the resulting performances either from the physical and mechanical standpoint. The results demonstrated a significant improvement on the resulting performance of the natural fibers which can be employed for the production of natural TRM composites.
