Structural behavior of lightweight composite ferrocement plates
Abstract
Ferrocement is a reinforced cementitious composite consisting of layers of wire mesh or small-diameter steel rods embedded in cement mortar. Its structural efficiency depends mainly on reinforcement geometry and distribution rather than on material quantity alone. This study examines the flexural behavior of ten lightweight ferrocement plates reinforced with different mesh types, namely welded metal mesh, Gavazzi mesh, and Tenax mesh. All plate specimens had dimensions of 1200 mm × 500 mm × 120 mm and contained corrugated foam panels embedded at the mid-depth. Steel mesh with a wire diameter of 5.5 mm was provided at the top and bottom as the main reinforcement. The load-deflection response, cracking behavior, ductility, energy absorption, and overall flexural performance were evaluated to determine the effect of mesh type and mesh-layer arrangement on structural efficiency. The results showed that plates reinforced with four layers of welded metal mesh achieved the best ultimate strength and crack resistance. These plates reached ultimate and service loads that were 34% and 48.88% higher, respectively, than those of the control specimen without additional mesh. In contrast, the plate reinforced with one additional layer of Gavazzi mesh showed the highest energy absorption among all specimens, with a value 75.9% higher than that of the control specimen. Increasing the number of mesh layers improved cracking load, service load, ultimate load, and energy absorption. Welded metal mesh also outperformed Tenax mesh in energy absorption, making it preferable for structural elements requiring high toughness and resilience.
Keywords
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