Sustainable Retrofitting and Moment Evaluation of Damaged RC Beams Using Ferrocement Composites for Vulnerable Structures

Abstract

Ferrocement composites have uniform distribution and high surface area to volume ratio of reinforcement, which identifies them as a good strengthening material for use in structural applications. Because of these properties, they are considered as a substitution for some conventional structural strengthening methods. In this study, ten reinforced concrete (RC) beams of size 1220 mm × 100 mm × 150 mm were strengthened with ferrocement composites using a galvanized square weld, having volume fractions of 1.76% and 2.35%. For this study, ferrocement composites with mortar 1:2, w/c 0.4, and steel slag, with a 30% weight fraction of fine aggregate, are considered. The experimental results showed that the first crack load and the ultimate load are higher for RC beams strengthened with ferrocement having a volume fraction of 2.35% (Vr) and a steel slag replacement of 30%. Theoretical predictions were made based on the elastic moment approach; the ratio between the prediction to experimental moment capacity ranges between 0.99 and 1.04. The outcomes show that ferrocement is an effective strengthening technique for deficient reinforced concrete members