Structural behavior of ferrocement beams under flexure load

Considerable attention has been given to the advancement of ferrocement concrete beams. In 12 ferrocement beams, conventional bar reinforcing and two types of mesh were employed in place of stirrups, and the beams were tested with simple support under a centrally concentrated load. It is discussed how various reinforcing methods affect failure loads and the structural response. The utilization of mild steel bars in combination with welded metal mesh in two or three layers results in higher moment than using only welded metal mesh without upper steel bars, regardless of the specific type of welded metal mesh used. Also Flexural strength was much improved when reinforcing ferrocement beams using fiberglass steel mesh and mild steel bars instead of just mild steel stirrups. Finally we can say that mild steel reinforced with welded metal mesh exhibited the most favorable structural performance. Ferrocement beams exhibited superior crack control and avoided spalling in contrast to traditional beams. Among the specimens reinforced with fiberglass mesh, those had the lowest occurrence of spalling compared to beams reinforced with welded metal mesh. One practical alternative to traditional reinforced concrete beams is thin ferrocement forms, which have several advantages and are expected to have positive effects on the environment and the economy in both developed and developing nations.