FERRO CEMENT

Italian engineer Pier Liugie Nervi is

credited with inventing Ferro
cement in the 1940’s
 Definition

“Ferro cement is a type of thin wall

reinforced concrete, commonly
constructed of hydraulic cement mortar,
reinforced with closely spaced layers of
continuous and relatively small size wire
mesh. The mesh may be made of
metallic or other suitable materials”

-ACI Committee 549, 1980 2

 Ferro cement

 Cement mortar is reinforced with

layers of continuous and small
diameter wire meshes
 Mortar provides the mass and
wire mesh imparts tensile
strength and ductility
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 Materials used in Ferro cement

 Cement mortar mix

 Skeleton steel
 Steel mesh reinforcement or
Fibre-reinforced polymeric meshes
 ADMIXTURES

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Typical section of Ferro cement

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 Cement mortar mix
 OPC and fine aggregate matrix is used
 The matrix constitutes 95% of the
composite and governs its behavior
 FA (sand), occupies 60 to 75% of the
volume of the mortar
 Plasticizers and other admixtures are
used
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 Mix Proportions

 Sand: cement ratio (by mass)

1.5 to 2.5

 Water: cement ratio (by mass)

0.35 to 0.60

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 Skeleton steel
 Forms the skeleton of the structure

 3 to 8 mm steel rods are used

 Used in the form of tied reinforcement or
welded wire fabric

 Used to impart structural strength in case

of boats, barges etc

 Reinforcement should be free from dust,

rust and other impurities 8
 Steel mesh reinforcement

 Consists of galvanized steel wires of

diameter 0.5 to 1.5 mm, spaced at 6 to
20mm centre to centre
 Available as woven/interlocking mesh and
welded mesh
 Welded wire mesh has hexagonal or
rectangular openings

 Expanded-metal lath is also used 9

Types of Wire Meshes

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Chicken wire mesh

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Expanded Metal Lath

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(Source: Naaman 1999) Typical cross-sections of Ferro cement

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MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF STEEL
WIRE MESH AND REINFORCING BARS
PROPERY WOVEN WELDED HEXAGONAL EXPANDED LONGITUDIN
SQUARE SQUARE MESH METAL AL BARS
MESH MESH MESH

YEILD 450 450 310 380 410

STRENGTH
(N/mm2)

Effective 140 200 100 140 200

modulus
(Gpa)
Longitudinal

Effective 160 200 70 70 -

modulus
(Gpa)
Transverse
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Behavior of Ferro cement in Tension
RC in tension Ferro cement in tension

Ec=(1-Vr1)Em+Vr1*Er (PRE CRACKING STAGE) Er = modulii of Reinforcement

Ec=Vr 1*Er (MULTIPLE CRACKING) Em = modulii of mortar
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 Advantages of Ferro cement
 High ductility
 High resistance to cracking width
 Ability to undergo large deflection
 Improved impact resistance and toughness
 Good fire resistance
 Good impermeability
 Low strength to weight ratio
 Low maintenance costs

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Construction Methods for Ferro cement

 Skeletal Armature Method

 Closed Mould Method

 Integral Mould Method

 Open Mould Method

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Skeletal Armature Method

(Source: Naaman 1999)

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Closed Mould Method

(Source: Naaman 1999)

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Integral Mould Method

(Source: Naaman 1999)

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Open Mould Method

(Source: Naaman 1999)

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 Applications of Ferro cement
 Marine applications

 Water supply and sanitation

 Agricultural

 Residential buildings

 Rural energy

 Other structures

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 1. Marine Applications

 Boats, fishing vessels, barges, cargo tugs,

catamarans, yachts and flotation buoys

 Key criteria for marine applications: light weight,

impact resistance, thickness and water tightness

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Boat with Ferro-cement hull24
2. Water supply and sanitation
Water tanks, sedimentation tanks, swimming pool
linings, well casings, septic tanks etc.

3. Agricultural
Grain storage bins, silos, canal linings, pipes, shells
for fish and poultry farms

4. Residential Buildings
Houses, community centers, precast housing
elements, corrugated roofing sheets, wall panels etc.

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Ferro cement structure for roofing

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5. Rural Energy

Biogas digesters, biogas holders, incinerators,

panels for solar energy collectors etc.

6. Other structures

Bus shelters, industrial shelters, pedestrian

bridges, skateboard rings, sculptures etc.

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 Reference
o Santhakumar, AR, Concrete Technology, Oxford
University Press

o Gambhir, ML, Concrete Technology: Theory and

Practice, McGraw Hill

o Shetty, MS, Concrete Technology, S Chand

Publishers

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