Flexural behavior of flat and folded ferrocement panels

Abstract EN

The present paper describes the results of testing folded and flat ferrocement panels reinforced with different number of wire mesh layers.

The main objective of these experimental tests is to study the effect of using different numbers of wire mesh layers on the flexural strength of folded and flat ferrocement panels and to compare the effect of varying the number of wire mesh layers on the ductility and the ultimate strength of these types of ferrocement structure.

Seven ferrocement elements were constructed and tested each having (600 x 380 mm) horizontal projection and 20 mm thick, consisting of four flat panels and three folded panels.

The used number of wire mesh layers is one, two and three layers.

The experimental results show that flexural strength of the folded panels increased by 37 % and 90 % for panels having 2 and 3 wire mesh layers respectively, compared with that having single layer, while for flat panel the increase in flexural strength compared with panel of plan mortar is 4.5 %, 65 % and 68 % for panels having 1, 2 and 3 wire mesh layers respectively.

The strength capacity of the folded panels, having the particular geometry used in the present study, is in the order of 3.5 to 5 times that of the corresponding flat panels having the same number of wire mesh layers.

Both types are also analyzed using finite element method to check the flexural stresses in these panels under self weight and cracking load.