International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics

Volume 119 No. 15 2018, 585-589

ISSN: 1314-3395 (on-line version)
url: http://www.acadpubl.eu/hub/
Special Issue
http://www.acadpubl.eu/hub/

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON FERROCEMENT WATER

TANK
B.Antonin Gnana Jenofer1, U.Prem Anandh2, R.Dhinesh3, S.Kumar4*

1,2,3
Student, Department of Civil Engineering, Vel Tech Multi Tech Dr. Rangarajan Dr.Sakunthala Engineering College,
Avadi, Chennai, premanandh2011@gmail.com, bjenofer15@gmail.com, duraidhinesh97@gmail.com
4*
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Vel Tech Multi Tech Dr. Rangarajan Dr.Sakunthala Engineering
College, Avadi, Chennai, skumarsbm@gmail.com, Corresponding Author.

Abstract: Ferrocement is the oldest form of the reinforced concrete, dating back two centuries. It is composed of mortar and
galvanized steel wire mesh. It is used for a wide range of application including construction of boats, water tanks, slabs and
roofs, and lining of tunnels. Properties such as high strength/weight ratio and good resistance to cracking and impact
loadings are bringing ferrocement under the spotlight again. Ferrocement is a type of thin wall reinforced concrete,
commonly constructed of hydraulic cement mortar, reinforced with closely spaced layers of continuous and relatively small
size wire mesh. The mesh maybe made of metallic or other suitable materials. One particularly popular use for ferrocement
is water tank construction. Ferrocement resists cracking very well and due to its thinness, uses very little cement.
The major materials to be used are steel mesh, rebars, Portland cement, fine aggregate, water and suitable admixtures. The
tank is then casted for 2 days and plastered for another 2 days and then left dry for another day. So, the time taken to
completely cast the tank is 5 days. Curing of tank is then done for about 28 days. Steam curing can also be done incase of
shorter duration of curing.The casted tank is then tested by means of pumping water into the tank at very high pressure.
Pumping is done until the tank starts vibrating heavily. The value of pressure is measured with an air pressure gauge and is
noted in psi.The outcome expected is that water tank constructed using ferrocement is approximately 20 to 30% cheaper than
RCC tank with high strength and durability.Keywords: Ferrocement, Rebar, Welded steel mesh, Fine aggregate and Lace
ties

Introduction: Onet and Magureanu (1946) The effect of loading

Ferrocement tanks water have the ability to store water in direction upon the cracking and deformation of
hygienic condition at cheap rate and more durable. A ferrocement members subjected to bending.
prototype test is also conducted to ensure structural Ferrocement is generally a flexible material and a very
integrity, assess operational performance, prepare and flexible one is the sections, which are under reinforced.
document detailed drawings, bill of quantities and The long-term deformation factors established by
construction steps. This booklet summarizes the means of strains (or) deflections indicate that the long-
underlying design concept of improved large ferro- term deflections influences the behaviour of beams
cement water tanks and presents easy-to-follow much more than the instantaneous one.
construction details with relevant drawings, bill of Hugo Wainshtok Rivas (1994) discussed the use of
quantities and necessary guidance. prefabrication technology in the fabrication of
Literature Survey: ferrocement precast elements. He made a comparative
ACI committee 549 (1999) Ferrocement is a type of thin study on the technical and economical analysis of precast
wall reinforced concrete commonly constructed of ferrocement elements with other systems. It was
hydraulic cement mortar reinforced with closely spaced observed that ferrocement advanced favourably than
layers of continuous and relatively small size wire mesh. other systems. He clearly states that in the prefabrication
The mesh may be made of metallic or other materials. of ferrocement elements, quality and strength can be
achieved by use of metallic moulds, small travelling

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cranes for lifting the elements, employment of vibrating volume fraction of reinforcement and that the method
table to achieve the right compactness of the mortar in developed can give satisfactory prediction of the ultimate
the moulds and curing by immersion in pools. He has moment capacity of ferrocement.
suggested that ferrocement construction system can be Austriaco and Pama (1952) have discussed the various
used for the urbanization of towns and cities combining it factors, which affect the durability of ferrocement
correctly with other systems, eradication of slums, namely mortar composition, permeability, corrosion of
emergency houses in case of natural disasters and the reinforcement and construction practices. Each of the
development of rural communities. above factors was well discussed and field studies were
Al-Rifaie and Trikha (1990) have investigated the also presented. Finally they have concluded that field
efficiency of various arrangements of hexagonal mesh studies must be undertaken to verify the predictions in
reinforcement of 0.7 mm diameter in 500 mm × 500 practice.
mm ferrocement slabs of thickness 20 mm and 30 mm, Vijay Raj (1960) conducted studies on utilization of lime
tested under patch loads on simply supported condition for improving durability of ferrocement. For the
over a span of 450 mm. The specimens were cast using experimental investigations CM 1:3 was prepared using
cement sand mortar of 1:2 proportion and a water w/c ratio 0.45 and fresh hydrated lime powder 15% (by
cement ratio of 0.45. It was found that the arrangement weight of cement) was added and finally mixed in a
consisting of twin layers with two meshes orthogonally concrete mixer. This mix was utilized for conducting
oriented and placed in contact is superior to the other slump test to find the workability. Reference mix was
arrangements of meshes unidirectionaly oriented or kept without lime dosage. The durability characteristic
alternative layers equally spaced with orthogonally was determined by exposing ferrocement with lime in
oriented meshes. The load deflection behaviour was varying concentration of sulphuric acid for 30 days.
linear upto the first crack load. There was 16.7% Specimens for the above study were prepared by
increase in first crack load for 20 mm thick models and fabricating 3 mm M.S rod skeletal grid over the 20 SWG
11% to 24.4% increase for 30 mm thick models when chicken mesh and plastered. It is found that there is an
compared to the other arrangements. improvement in durability by reducing the permeability
Basunbul et al (1991) The parameters considered in the and addition of lime has improved thc workability of the
experimental investigation were number of mesh layers, mortar.
the skeletal steel, and the web mesh reinforcement. It was Experimental methodology
observed that the number of ribs and the presence of web Volume Calculation:
mesh reinforcement play an important role in developing Tank height: 0.5 m
full moment capacities. Increasing the number of wire Tank diameter- Inner: 0.28 m
mesh layers improves stiffness and rigidity in the cracked Outer: 0.30 m
region and not in the uncracked region. Tank wall thickness: 0.1 m
Mansur and Paramasivam (1982) proposed a method Reinforcement bars: 6 mm
to predicate the ultimate strength of the ferrocement in Mesh type: Welded square mesh
flexure based on the concept of the plastic analysis, Mesh size: 8*24*3
where ferrocement is considered as a homogenous and a Grade of cement : 53 grade
perfectly elastic-plastic material. Simple equations were Grade of concrete: M25
derived for the direct design of a cross-section. Water capacity
Experimental investigation were also conducted to study Volume = πr2h
the behaviour and strength of ferrocement in flexure. It =3.14*0.14*0.14*0.5
was found that the ultimate moment increase with =0.030 m3
increasing matrix grade (w/c ratio) and increasing So, the capacity of the tank = 0.030 m3

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Testing Assocaition, London, England, Library

Water pressure can be measured in three common units, Translation, No. 60, 1956.
bar, psi and Head (m). 2. Onet., and Magureanu., "Investigation on the
1 bar = 10 metres Head = 100 psi. flexural behaviour of ferrocement and its
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between the bottom of the water tank and the outlet of Ferrocement, AITIFIC, Bangkok, Thailand,
the tap or shower. January 1978
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0.5 meter height of water sustains 50 psi of pressure. ferrocement", Journal of the American
Conclusion Concrete Institute, Proceedings, Vol.68, No. 9,
The goal of the current research is studying the feasibility September 1971, pp.693-698
of ferrocement water tank in design and construction of 4. Desayi, P., And Jacob, A.K., "Strength and
structures. Previously tanks constructed by ferrocement behaviour of ferrocement in tension and
were of capacity ranging from 5 cubic meters to a flexure", Proceedings, Symposium on Modern
maximum capacity of about 10 cubic meters. The most Trends in Civil Engineering , Vol. 1,
common capacity would range about 7 cubic meters. University of Roorkee, November 1972, pp.
There was always a doubt that ferrocement construction 274-279
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of ferrocement is much stronger when it is constructed Society of Civil Engineering, Vol. 98, STI,
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does not require formwork or shuttering by any means. 10. Al-Badri (2005) “Application Evolutionary
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