Numerical Investigation on Shear Performance of Reinforced Concrete Beam by Using Ferrocement Composite

This study presents an extensive analytical investigation of the shear performance of reinforced concrete beams by using ferrocement composite as transverse reinforcement. Nonlinear finite element simulation was conducted in Abaqus 6.14 software package. Fifteen beam models were selected under two-point loading. The main parameters considered includes the diameter, spacing, number of layers of wire mesh, and its combination with stirrups. The results testified that as the diameter and number of layers of wire mesh increased, the ultimate failure load, shear capacity, and stiffness of the model specimen also increased. However, as the number of layers becomes greater than three, no significant change happens in the shear performance of the beam. In another way, the failure load, shear capacity, and stiffness of the beam models are decreased, as the spacing between wire mesh is increased. Furthermore, the study confirmed that under the same weight criteria, the shear performance of RC beam specimens with wire mesh and its combination with stirrups as shear reinforcement is greater than specimens with stirrups only. Finally, the sensitivity analysis is conducted in MS excel to access the effect of each independent variable on the ultimate failure load of the RC beam.