Design and Analytical Investigation of Confined Ferrocrete Cross-Beams under Flexure

The research investigates flexural strength of new box-section cross-beams through testing which uses a restricted ferrocrete matrix. Ferrocement, which is a specialized cementitious composite, provides better ductility and structural efficiency than standard reinforced concrete. The testing program involved casting and testing nine box-beams which had dimensions of 150 x 150 x 1000 mm and core longitudinal reinforcement that used 8 mm, 10 mm, and 12 mm HYSD 500 bars. The study evaluated ultimate load-bearing capacity and deflection parameters through four-point bending testing which occurred during the experimental phase. The researchers conducted analytical simulations through Finite Element Method (FEM) software which used ANSYS and STAAD Pro to create a computer model that predicts structural behavior. The study results demonstrate that increasing longitudinal steel quantities leads to higher flexural stiffness and ultimate capacity gains while restricting maximum displacement. The study proved that confined ferrocrete beams can function in modern lightweight high-performance structural systems which include infrastructure retrofitting based on model validation that showed strong agreement between analytical results and experimental data.