Description
Geopolymers describe a class of aluminosilicate materials obtained by alkaline activation of an aluminosilicate precursor at low temperatures and nowadays represents a very strong competitor to Portland cement-based materials in the field of constructions. To improve the mechanical characteristics of geopolymers the adoption of fibers (natural or not) has been proposed and this is the topic of a very large literature. From the other hand. nowadays the problem of environmental sustainability is very important and the geopolymers possess many features making them as the cutting-edge material of the future. Further, the adoption of natural fibers makes geopolymers even more interesting from the environmental sustainability point of view. From the other hand strengthening of existing masonry structures is a very important topic in the field of structural engineering as well as in that of restoration. In both fields it is important to adopt sustainable materials showing the requested mechanical characteristics. Aim of the paper is to verify the use of geopolymer plaster reinforced by natural fibers as strengthening tool for masonry structures. The aim will be firstly reached by suitably modelling the mechanical behaviour of samples of geopolymer plaster realized in laboratory starting from experimental results and secondly modelling the behavior of a masonry panel reinforced with such plaster by means of a suitable FEM model in Abaqus.
