Recent perspectives for ferrocement

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. Nowadays, reinforced concrete is widely known and used material, whereas ferrocement has limited applications. Properties such as high strength/weight ratio and good resistance to cracking and impact loadings are bringing ferrocement under the spotlight again. New applications have been developed in the recent years, such as low cost dwelling buildings and strengthening of a wide variety of structural elements. However, these applications are still in their first stages. The aim of this paper is to summarize existing literature on the use of ferrocement and to discuss new applications of ferrocement.