Behavior of ferrocement material under direct shear

The behavior of ferrocement under direct shear was investigated by conducting axial compression tests on Z-shaped specimens reinforced with woven wire mesh producing pure shear on the shear plane. The major study parameters were the volume fraction of wire mesh reinforcement V_f, the shear plane and mortar strength. Test results indicate that ferrocement under direct shear exhibits two stages of behavior (cracked and uncracked) while under flexure it exhibits, a third stage (plastic stage) in addition. The cracking and ultimate shear stresses increase with increasing mortar strength and wire mesh reinforcement. Empirical equations have been developed here using regression analysis to predict the cracking and ultimate shear stresses in terms of the mortar tensile strength f_t and V_f. The test results also indicate that the shear stiffness in the uncracked stage is not significantly affected by the amount of wire mesh; it is mainly affected by the mortar strength. The shear stiffness in the cracked stage is affected by both amount of wire mesh and mortar strength. Ductility of ferrocement material under direct shear increases with increasing wire mesh reinforcement and decreases with higher mortar strength.