Bending behavior of ferrocement plates in sodium and magnesium sulfates solutions

To explore the potential uses of ferrocement as a construction material, the flexural performance of ferrocement plates under normal and aggressive environments is investigated. A series of thin mortar plate specimens were cast with varying number of mesh layers, and immersed in sodium and magnesium sulfate solutions, and tap water for a period of one year. The parameters investigated included (a) mesh wire spacing; (b) number of mesh layers (two and four); and (c) curing environment (tap water, sodium, and magnesium sulfate solutions). The test results indicated that, after one year of storage in sulfate solutions, the specimens reinforced with two layers of steel meshes, showed a significant increase in flexural strength accompanied with a noticeable decrease in ductility for specimens reinforced with medium and larger wire spacings, whereas most of the specimens reinforced with four layers showed some decrease in flexural strength and ductility compared to the specimens stored in tap water. All the plates tested showed no visible signs of significant deterioration, and exhibited typical flexural response with a varying number of fine hairline cracks occurring on the tension side of the plates.