AUT Journal of Civil Engineering

AUT Journal of Civil Engineering

Influence of Multi-Directional Expanded Metal Mesh Reinforcement on Cement Mortar Flexural Performance

Document Type : Research Article

Author
Shubbar Jawad Kadhim
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq.
10.22060/ajce.2025.24780.5949
Abstract
This study investigates the effect of varying the number and orientation of expanded metal mesh EMM layers as internal reinforcement on the flexural performance of mortar prisms, including flexural strength, toughness, first crack-load, and deflection at mid-span. Mixes were prepared using EMM layers embedded in prisms of dimensions 40 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm. The number of EMM layers were (one, two, and three) and their orientation; horizontal (perpendiculat to applied load), vertical (parallel to applied load), and a combination of both. The results showed that the incorporation of EMM improved the overall flexural performance significantly. This improvement became more pronounced with the increase in the number of EMM layers. Mixes reinforced with vertically aligned EMM layers exhibited greater improvements than those with horizontal alignment. The percentages of increase in flexural strength, toughness, and first crack-load for mix reinforced with three layers of horizontally alignend mesh were 80% , 595% , and 156 %, respectively. While for mixes reinforced with three layers of vertically aligned mesh, the corresponding values were 127%, 1474%, and 242%. The deflection results exhibited two different trends; under the same applied load, mixes reinforced with EMM showed lower deflection than the plain unreinforced mix, whereas at ultimate load, reinforced mixes recorded higher deflection. The mix reinforced with a combined orientation layers demonstrated the most significant improvements for all flexural performance tests, and the percentages of increase in flexural strength, toughness, and first crack load were 140%, 2063%, and 2875% relative to reference mix, repectively.
Keywords
Expanded Metal Mesh
Wire Mesh Reinforcement
Flexural Strength
Cement Mortar
Subjects
1.       Mebrahtom M, Fissha Y, Ali M, Gebretsadik A, Kide Y, Nguse Z, Gebrehiwot Z, Saavedra Flores E, Avudaiappan S, Ikeda H, Comparative study of eco-friendly wire mesh configurations to enhance sustainability in reinforced concrete structures, Scientific Reports, 14 (2024) 8818. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59050-2.
2.       Mane VV, Patil NK, Tiware VS, Kotwal SS, More MM, Mohite NA, Influence on shear and flexural strength by using welded wire mesh in the reinforced concrete beams: a review, 9th National Conference on Emerging Trends in Engineering and Technology, March (2023).
3.       Siddique A, Al Mamun A, Alyousef R, Flexural performance of wire mesh and geotextile-strengthened RC beams, SN Applied Sciences, 1(9) (2019) 1127. DOI: 10.1007/s42452-019-1373-8.
4.       Smith D, Graciano CA, Teixeira P, Martínez G, Pertuz A, Expanded metal: a review of manufacturing, applications and structural performance, Thin-Walled Structures, 160 (2020) 107371. DOI: 10.1016/j.tws.2020.107371.
5.       Integrated Publishing Inc., Expanded metal and welded wire fabric, in: Engineering Materials [Internet], Integrated Publishing, cited July 26 (2025). Available from: https://www.tpub.com/engbas/7-6.htm
6.       Miranda MA, Marques PR, Lima C, Mesh reinforcement in masonry mortar coatings: a systematic literature review, Cerâmica, 69(401) (2023) 24–34. DOI: 10.1590/0366-69132023693893377.
7.       Alnuaimi AS, Hago AH, Al Jabri KS, Flexural behaviour of ferrocement roof panels, WIT Transactions on the Built Environment, 85 (2006) 10. DOI: 10.2495/HPSM06010.
8.       Gaidhankar DG, Saeed S, Flexural behaviour of ferrocement slab panels using expanded metal mesh incorporating steel fibers, International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology, 3(5) (2014). DOI: 10.17577/IJERTV3IS052107.
9.       Mebrahtom M, Fissha Y, Ali M, Gebretsadik A, et al., Comparative study of eco-friendly wire mesh configurations to enhance sustainability in reinforced concrete structures, Scientific Reports, 14 (2024) 8818. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59050-2.
10.   Hajare M, Varma MB, Flexural behaviour of ferrocement panels with different types of meshes, International Journal for Scientific Research and Development, 3(6) (2015) 154–160.
11.   Phalke RJ, Gaidhankar DG, Flexural behaviour of ferrocement slab panels using welded square mesh by incorporating steel fibers, International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology, 3(5) (2014) 756–763.
12.   Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control, Iraqi Specification No. 5/1984 – Portland Cement, COSQC, Baghdad (1984).
13.   ACI Committee 549, Guide for the Design, Construction, and Repair of Ferrocement, ACI 549.1R-18, American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI (2018).
14.   ASTM C78/C78M-22, Standard Test Method for Flexural Strength of Concrete (Using Simple Beam with Third-Point Loading), ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA (2022). DOI: 10.1520/C0078_C0078M-22.
15.   Shaaban IG, Shaheen YB, Elsayed EL, Kamal OA, Adesina PA, Flexural characteristics of lightweight ferrocement beams with various types of core materials and mesh reinforcement, Construction and Building Materials, 171 (2018) 802–816. DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.03.167.
16.   Manikandhan KU, Thiyaga Bala M, Experimental investigation on flexural behaviour of ferrocement laminates using different forms of meshes, IJRASET, (2022) 48174. DOI: 10.22214/ijraset.2022.48174.
17.   Qureshi HJ, Khurram N, Akmal U, Arifuzzaman M, Habib MQ, Al Fuhaid AF, Flexure performance of ferrocement panels using SBR latex and polypropylene fibers with PVC and iron welded meshes, Polymers, 15(10) (2023) 2304. DOI: 10.3390/polym15102304.
18.   Murali G, Amran M, Fediuk R, Vatin NI, Raman SN, Maithreyi G, Sumathi A, Structural behavior of fibrous ferrocement panel subjected to flexural and impact loads, Materials, 13(24) (2020) 5648. DOI: 10.3390/ma13245648.
19.   ASTM C1609/C1609M-19, Standard Test Method for Flexural Performance of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (Using Beam with Third-Point Loading), ASTM International (2024). DOI: 10.1520/C1609_C1609M-19.
20.   Sathe S, Kangda MZ, Khan MA, Alharbi YR, Qamar O, Structural performance of ferrocement panels under low- and high-velocity impact load, ACS Omega, 8(44) (2023) 41120–41133. DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c03726.
21.   Shaheen YBI, Etman ZA, Seyam AM, Structural characteristics of lightweight ferrocement walls with various types of core materials and mesh reinforcement, Current Journal of Applied Science and Technology, 41(18) (2022) 15–45. DOI: 10.9734/cjast/2022/v41i1831735.
22.   Habieb AB, Hidayat MR, Sutrisno W, Kandymov N, Milani G, Effectiveness of different configurations of ferrocement retrofitting for seismic protection of confined masonry: a numerical study, Civil Engineering Journal, 10(9) (2024) 5114. DOI: 10.28991/CEJ-2024-010-09-02.
23.   Wu Z, Madadi A, Tzuyang Y, Structural analysis of ferrocement composite panels with expanded perlite-based mortar, Journal of Building Engineering, 84 (2023) 107094. DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5627562/v1.
24.   Elsamak G, Ghalla M, Badawi M, Albogami A, Tawfik TA, Shahin RI, Anchored and epoxied ferrocement strips for improving flexural performance of two-way reinforced concrete slabs, Case Studies in Construction Materials, 19 (2023) e02031. DOI: 10.1016/j.cscm.2023.e02031.
25.   Hameed SH, Jaafer AA, Shear behavior of strengthened ferrocement RC beams by steel wire mesh, Civil Engineering Journal, 8(5) (2022) 325–337. DOI: 10.28991/CEJ-2022-08-05-04.
26.   Ashraf M, Halhalli V, Flexural behaviour of SCC ferrocement slabs incorporating steel fibers, International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology, 2(10) (2013).
27.   El Sayed TA, Shaheen YBI, AbouBakr MM, Abdelnaby RM, Behavior of ferrocement water pipes as an alternative solution for steel water pipes, Case Studies in Construction Materials, 18(3) (2022) e01806. DOI: 10.1016/j.cscm.2022.e01806.
AUT Journal of Civil Engineering
Volume 9, Issue 4
Autumn 2025
Pages 379-388