Masonry made with low-strength cinder blocks is the residential construction system of choice in coastal and rural areas of Central America. Resistance to high-wind pressures is a recurrent concern for owners. This paper presents preliminary research on the feasibility of using cement-mortar overlays reinforced with recycled fishing nets to significantly enhance the out-of-plane capacity of substandard cinder-block masonry walls. The mechanical response of prototype fishing-net reinforced overlays was characterized based on uniaxial tensile tests. Proof-of-concept is provided based on evidence from out-of-plane load tests on masonry specimens, including a counterpart specimen reinforced with welded-wire steel mesh.

Paper 93