Effect of Wire-Mesh Type on Strengthening Reinforced Concrete Beams

Abstract

Structural strengthening is a method of application to raise the load-ability capacity of building structures to meet the building's need to carry additional and unexpected loads that were not accounted for in the main design. In this study, Ferro-cement was used for strengthening concrete beams. Three locally available wire mesh types were used with an ordinary cement mortar to strengthen reinforced concrete beams under flexural loading. The results show that using a Ferro-cement layer with wire mesh of 15 mm size square opening has the best effect on increasing reinforced concrete beams' bearing capacity and deflection more than when using the other two types of meshes. The first crack and failure load increases were 72 and 79%, respectively. In contrast, the deflection increased 70 and 51% at the first crack and failure load.