FERROCEMENT

WHAT IS FERROCEMENT?
Definition of ferrocement reported by ACI Committee 549, 1988 Ferrocement is a form of reinforced concrete using closely spaced multiple layers of mesh and/or small diameter rods completely infiltrated with, or encapsulated in, mortar. In 1940 Pier Luigi Nervy, an Italian engineer, architect and contractor, used ferrocement first for the construction of aircraft hangars, boats and buildings and a variety of other structures. It is a very durable, cheap and versatile material.

Section of ferrocement

COSTITUENTS OF FERROCEMENT
Cement: The cement should be fresh, of uniform

consistency and free of lumps and foreign matter. Fine Aggregates :Normal weight fine aggregate clean, hard, strong, free of organic impurities and deleterious substances and relatively free of silt and clay. Water :Potable water is fit for use as mixing water as well as for curing ferrocement structures. Admixture : Chemical admixtures used in ferrocement serve purposes OF water reduction, with strength and reduces permeability; air entrainment, which increases resistance to freezing and thawing; and suppression of reaction between galvanized reinforcement and cement

Reinforcing mesh :The function of the reinforcing wire mesh in the first instance is to act as a lath providing the form and to support the mortar in its green state. Skeletal Steel :Skeletal steel is Types of wire mesh reinforcement used generally used for making the framework of the structure upon which layers of mesh are laid Coating :vinyl and epoxy coatings were found to be the most successful organic coatings.

Three-dimensional mesh

CONSTRUCTION
The desired shape using ferrocement may be built from a multi-layered construction of chicken wire or other steel mesh. Over this finished framework, an appropriate mixture of cement, sand and water is spread out A considerable amount of time may be necessary for the material to fully cure and reach its final strength

CHALLENGES
MORTAR MIXING:The mortar MIXING:The must be dense and compact. A general mix is 1 part cement, 2 parts sand. Water is added roughly 0.4 parts water by weight MORTAR APPLICATION: Fingers and trowels are used for mortar placement in the mesh structure. Mortar guns are not recommended CURING. It should be kept moist at least 7 days and protected from the sun and wind.

COMPOSITE PROPERTIES
Ferro cement has very high tensile strength- to weight ratio and a superior cracking behavior Low w/c ratio produces an impermeable structures Ferro cement structures have high durability ,less shrinkage, and low weight. FERROCEMENT COMPOSITES HAVE: Thickness 6 to 50 millimeters Steel cover 1.5 to 5 millimeters Ultimate tensile strength up to 34 MPa Allowable tensile stress up to 10 MPa Modulus of rupture up to 55MPa Compressive strength up to 28 to 69MPa

ADVANTAGES
Its basic raw materials are readily available in most countries. It can be fabricated into any desired shape. The skills for ferrocement construction can be acquired easily. Heavy plants and machinery are not involved in ferrocement construction. Being labor intensive, it is relatively inexpensive in developing countries. It is widely used due to the low self weight, durability & versatility.

DISADVANTAGES
Structures made of it can be punctured by collision with pointed objects. Corrosion of the reinforcing materials due to the incomplete coverage of metal by mortar. Large no of labors required It is difficult to fasten to ferrocement with bolts,screws,welding and nail etc.. Tying rods and mesh together is especially tedious and time consuming.

APPLICATIONS
HOUSING:Ferrocement houses utilizing local materials such as wood, bamboo or bush sticks as equivalent steel replacement have been constructed in Bangladesh & Indonesia MARINE :Ferro cement can be effectively used for various water supply structures like well casings for shallow wells, water tanks, sedimentation tanks, slow sand filters and for sanitation facilities like septic tanks, service modules and sanitary bowls

RURAL ENERGY :In Thailand and India, biogas digesters and biogas holders have been constructed with ferrocement which lead to a considerable cost reduction. Miscellaneous Applications :Ferro cement is proving to be a technology that can respond to the diverse economic, social and cultural needs of man.

FERRO CEMENT ROOFING TECHNOLOGY

WORKS CARRIED OUT

Al-Ameen College, Bangalore Leela Palace Bangalore Sai Super Specialty Hospital, Whitefield, Bangalore AL AMEEN COLLEGE Kolkata Commercial Plaza, Kamaraj Road, Bangalore Dome Residence for I. K Hospital, Alipur Sai temple, Kanakapura Road. LEELA PALACE

ON GOING PROJECTS

AP gem and Jewelry Park, Hyderabad .Phonix uppel, Hyderabad. Vydehi. White field. Bangalore. Don Basco college, Mysore Road, Bangalore. Pre-Cast housing, Alipur.

CONCLUSION
Ferro-cement come into wide spread use only in the last two decades and still in its infancy. Sufficient design information is available and adequate field experience has been acquired to enable safe design and construction of Ferro-cement structures. Whether it can economically compete with alternate materials depends on the type and location of application. However, innovative structures in different parts of the world have clearly indicated the unique, unmatched properties of this material and therefore the vast potential waiting to be explored

REFERENCES
www.appropedia.org/Original:Ferrocement_Appli cations_in_Developing_Countries_9" Ferrocement and Laminated Cementitious Composites by Antoine E. Naaman www.concure.com www.fasiformsystem.com www.smithconcretenc.com www.wikipedia.com