: In our investigation, we subjected eleven reinforced concrete beams to a four-point bending
system to explore the impact of varying fibre and ferrocement contents on their structural behaviour.
These beams, measuring 1.7 m in length, featured a rectangular cross-section with dimensions of 150
mm by 300 mm. Our study focused on three key variables: steel fibre content (at levels of 0.5%, 1%,
and 1.5%), glass fibre content (also at 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%), and ferrocement content (evaluated with
one or two layers of welded or expanded wire mesh). Our findings revealed that incorporating fibres
with minimal shear reinforcement significantly enhanced the beams’ performance. Specifically: The
specimen reinforced with 1.5% steel fibres exhibited the highest ultimate failure load, surpassing the
control beam by an impressive 41.87%. The 0.5% glass fibre specimen experienced the least deflection
at the ultimate load compared to the control beam. The 1.5% glass fibre specimen demonstrated
superior energy absorption compared to the control specimen. Notably, using two layers of welded
wire mesh proved most effective in enhancing the ultimate failure load when compared to both the
control specimen and other ferrocement-strengthened beams.
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