Investigation Strength Of One Way Slab Panel Using Steel Fibers And Wire Mesh (Ferro Cement)

Abstract

This paper presents a study of the flexural behavior of the reinforced mortar slabs using both of steel fiber concept and ferrocement layer in tension zone cover as an additional reinforcement to the main steel bars .The concept of steel fibers mean that substitution the common types of steel fibers by alternative material exhibit the same action that produced by the tradition fibers. This material represented by short length of steel nails (SLSN) ,which is cheapest and more available than the first type in the local markets .The efficiency of this material have been checked using seven samples of beam prototypes tested under flexural behavior and reinforced with the nails. Results produced that the nails will improve ultimate flexural strength of mortar noticeably .The increasing ratio in flexural strength of mortar was in the range of (400-1200)% related with these seven beams .Therefore, and according to this advantage, eight one way reinforced slab panel have tested under flexural loading. They reinforced with the nails ,one layer of wire mesh to produce ferrocement cover, and the both material . After testing these eight panels ,the once reinforced with SLSN as an additional reinforcement exhibit the best performance in resisting flexural stresses by increasing flexural load capacity from 17.25kN to about 20kN. Furthermore, maximum central deflection was also reduced by this material from 24.75mm for non fiber reinforced panels to 4.9mm for reinforced once. Although the action of ferrocement was less than the results produced by the fibers ,ferrocement cover increases the ultimate flexural load capacity for panels reinforced with single layer of wire mesh as well as decreasing in the maximum central deflection for these panels in comparison with the control specimens .