What Is Ferrocement?

Ferrocement is a type of reinforced concrete and also known as a composite material made up of
closely spaced one or more layers of mesh, and cement mortar which is covering the entire mesh.

fig1. Boat made of Ferrocement

The inventors of Ferrocement are Frenchmen Joseph Monier and Joseph-Louis Lambot who

constructed a boat with the system in 1848 and later developed by an Italian architect P.L.Nervi
in 1940.

Further, it is defined by ACI (American Concrete Institute) committee 549, in 1980

 Cement mortar is reinforced with single or multiple layers of continuous small diameter wire
mesh
 Mortar provides the mass and mesh imparts tensile strength to the structure.
Why Ferrocement Is Used?  
Today we are using RCC (Reinforced cement concrete) in almost every project but for some
structures, we require high crack resistance, high flexural strength, fatigue resistance, and more.
So, the use of Ferrocement ensures enhanced elasticity, flexibility strength, and resistance to
cracking, and so on. Also, the Quality of the works is assured as the material is manufactured by
the machinery at the factory and executed at the site in less time.
Properties Of Ferro Cement?
 It is versatile in nature, as it can be used in almost every condition.
 Due to the layers of wire mesh and small diameter rods, It forms thin reinforced concrete
structures.
 Mesh may be metal or any other suitable material
 Instead of concrete, we use Portland cement mortar for the construction.
 Here, the strength of the structure mainly depends on two major factors, the quality of cement
paste and the Quantity of reinforced material used for the construction.
 It is very durable and available at a low cost.
 It is very different from conventional concrete, it has a higher ratio of cement mortar to steel.
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Constituent Materials Used For Ferrocement:

fig2. Types of wire meshes

 Cement mortar mix: OPC and the fine aggregate matrix are used for the construction. Fine
aggregate size varies between 1.18 mm to 2.36 mm. Fine aggregates constituents 60-70% of
the mortar. Admixtures and superplasticizers are used.
 Reinforcement: Two types of reinforcement are used, they are;
1. Skeleton steel: Skeleton steel frame is made to give the exact shape and
geometry of the structure. It is used for holding the steel mesh in the shape of the
structure. It is made up of 3-8 mm diameter rods and the spacing is given as 70-
100 mm. The size of the skeleton steel frame is kept as per the structure
dimensions.
 2. Steel mesh reinforcement or fiber-reinforced polymeric meshes:  The mesh is
made up of 0.5 to 1.5 mm diameter galvanized wire and these are welded at a
spacing of 6 to 20 mm from center to center. Different type of wire meshes used
in the construction are;
 Square woven wire mesh
 Square welded wire mesh
 Hexagonal wire mesh
 Expanded metal lath
Process Of Ferro Cement:
It is executed mainly through four steps;

 Fabricating the skeletal framing system: In this step, the skeletal frame is Pre-fabricated at
the factory and brought to the site.
 Applying rods and meshes: The meshes and rods are tied together before covering with
mortar.
 Plastering: The cement plaster is mixed and the reinforcement is covered entirely.
 Curing: For Setting, cement takes some time, and time for completion of the hydration
process is called curing. After curing the structure gains enough strength to resist loads.

fig3. Hexagonal wire mesh

Application Of Ferrocement
 Housing
 Marine
 Agricultural
 Rural Energy
 Silos and bins
 Boat bulls
 Biogas holders
 Pipes
 Folded plates
 Shell roofs
 Kiosks
 Wind tunnels
 Swimming pools
 Miscellaneous.
Advantages Of Ferro Cement
 Basic raw materials are available in almost every country
  Ferro cement is fabricated into any desired shape.
 Fewer labor skills are required for placing at the site.
 It undergoes larger deformation prior to breakage or rupture of the structure.
 A low water-cement ratio imparts impermeability to structure.
 It is easily constructed.
 It is low weight and has a long lifetime.
 Due to the less weight, the structural weight is less and this reduces the foundation cost.
 It is mostly suitable for precast components.
 Low construction material cost
 Resistant against earthquake forces.
Disadvantages Of Ferro Cement
 Structures can be punctured by collision with pointed objects.
 Incomplete coverage of mortar can result in rusting or corrosion of reinforcement.
 A large number of labours are required and the cost of labour is high for semi-skilled and
unskilled labours.
 Tying rods and mesh together is very tedious and time-consuming.