The Behavior of Ferrocement RC Beams Exposed to Flexural Load and Elevated Temperature

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the combined effect of bending load and elevated temperature (up to 600 °C) on ferrocement concrete beams. The research paper proposes a cost-effective and reliable method to evaluate the fire resistance of these beams when subjected to multiple external loads and high temperatures simultaneously. Implementing a finite element prototype and doing trials with the ANSYS 2019-R1 software were part of the investigation. Thirteen samples of ferrocement concrete beams, with dimensions of 200 mm thickness, 150 mm width, and 1700 mm length, were tested under flexural loading until failure. The variables considered in this research were the type and number of wire mesh layers. The performance of the ferrocement beams was assessed based on criteria such as first crack load, ultimate failure load, mid-span deflection at different loading phases, cracking patterns, energy absorption, and ductility index. The findings indicate that ferrocement beams exhibit superior fire and bending resistance compared to reinforced concrete beams when subjected to bending loads and elevated temperatures simultaneously. Welded wire mesh beams demonstrated higher loading capacity, and the analytical and experimental results agreed with each other.