scope:

This guide is based on technical information assembled by ACI Committee 549, Ferrocement, from current practice, developments, and advances in the field of ferrocement around the world. It represents a practical supplement to the state-of-the-art report (ACI 549R) published earlier by the committee. The guide covers materials for ferrocement, materials selection, and standards; design criteria and approaches; construction methods; maintenance and repair procedures; and testing.

The objectives of this guide are to promote the effective use of ferrocement in terrestrial structures, provide architects and engineers with the necessary tools to specify and use ferrocement, and provide owners or their representatives with a reference document to check the acceptability of a ferrocement alternative in a given application. This guide is consistent with ACI Building Code Requirements for Reinforced Concrete (ACI 318) except for the special characteristics of ferrocement, such as reinforcement cover and limits on deflection.

Ferrocement is a form of reinforced concrete using closely spaced multiple layers of mesh and/or small diameter rods completely infiltrated with, or encapsulated, in mortar. The most common type of reinforcement is steel mesh. Other materials such as selected organic, natural, or synthetic fibers may be combined with metallic mesh. This guide addresses only the use of steel reinforcement in a hydraulic cement mortar matrix.

Applications of ferrocement are numerous, especially in structures or structural components where self-help or low levels of skills are required. Besides boats and marine structures, ferrocement is used for housing units, water tanks, grain silos, flat or corrugated roofing sheets, irrigation channels, and the like (see ACI 549R).