LAUSR

Abstract This paper presents an experimental setup to study the effectiveness of using natural hemp fibers for enhancing the out of plane flexural capacity of unreinforced masonry walls. Wall specimens are constructed using normal-weight hollow concrete masonry units, and then hemp fiber fabrics are externally applied for strengthening. Performance of the hemp reinforced wall units is gauged by examining the flexural capacity, ductility, and failure modes of the wall specimens. A sensitivity analysis is conducted to investigate the effects of different strengthening configurations on the capacity of strengthened wall sections. Experimental results show that both the flexural capacity and ductility of the walls increase with an increase in reinforcement ratio.