Lightweight ferrocement product.

What is it about?

Ferrocement is a type of reinforced concrete with a thin wall that involves embedding layers of wire mesh closely in the cementitious matrix, as defined in ACI 549R-97. Lightweight foamed concrete is gaining popularity in construction due to its low density and good thermal and sound insulation properties, but it has lower strength. To enhance its strength, the concept of ferrocement, which uses mesh reinforcement, can be applied to lightweight foamed concrete blocks. This study aimed to assess the impact of using hexagonal and square wire mesh, following the ferrocement concept, on the compressive and flexural strengths of lightweight foamed concrete blocks and beams with a density of 1000 kg/m³.

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Why is it important?

The test results indicated that incorporating one layer of hexagonal or square wire mesh led to a 13-16% improvement in compressive strength for foamed concrete blocks and a 21-26% improvement for foamed concrete beams. Square wire mesh, in particular, provided significantly better results, improving flexural strength around four times compared to the base material. In summary, both hexagonal and square wire meshes can be effectively used to enhance the compressive and flexural strengths of foamed concrete blocks and beams, with square wire mesh yielding notably superior results.

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