Flexural strength of metakaolin ferrocement

Flexural strength of metakaolin ferrocements was evaluated through laboratory investigation. Reference mortar with OPC of 43 grade and metakaolin mortars with 5–25% metakaolin replacement in the increments of 5% with cement were made. Constant water to cementitious ratio of 0.5 was maintained for all the mortars. Galvanized oven mesh (chicken mesh) was incorporated in the tension zone in one, three and five-layers to investigate the influence of reinforcement. The samples were water-cured for 7, 28, 90 and 180 days. The results show that, up to 15% metakaolin replacement, flexural strengths were higher than control ferrocement at all curing ages and for all mesh layers. However, replacements equal and higher than 20% had lower strengths than control ferrocement for all mesh layers. It was further found that 10% metakaolin is the optimum content for maximum flexural strength. The data presented in this paper are a part of study conducted on ferrocement.