Behavior of Self Compacted Concrete Ferrocement Beams

Abstract
Many researchers have been conducted on the ferrocement as a low cost construction material and a flexible structural system. This experimental investigation on the behavior of ferrocement beams after exposed to different type of ferrocement and different of ferrocement layer are presented in this paper. The experimental program consisted of seven simply supported beams tested up to failure under four-point load. The dimensions of 150mm×250mm×2000mm. Each beam was reinforced using steel 2 f 12 in top and 2 f10 in bottom and the stirrups was 10 f 10/m. In addition to six of them contains ferrocement different steel wire meshes and different of ferrocement layer. The test specimens are divided in three groups and the results of each one compared with the control specimen. The first group (A) which used the welded wire mesh. The second group (B) which used the expanded wire mesh. But the third group (C) which reinforced using woven wire mesh. The mid span deflection, cracks, reinforcement and concrete strains of the tested beams were recorded and compared. The performance of the test beams in terms of ultimate flexure load cracking behavior and energy absorption were investigated. The experimental results emphasized that high ultimate loads, better crack resistance control, high ductility, and good energy absorption properties could be achieved by using the proposed ferrocement beams. The cracks propagation decreased and its number and width decreased by using woven, expanded and welded wire mesh especially in specimens with two layers of wire mesh. Theoretical calculation was carried out to compare the oplained results with the theoretical ones, which show good agreement.