EVALUATION OF FOLDING TECHNIQUE FOR FERROCEMENT ROOFING ELEMENTS

One of the successful applications of ferrocement is in the construction of roofing elements for houses and industrial buildings. Folded plate roofing elements can be made using two techniques, namely conventional moulding and folding. Advantages of the folding technique over the moulding technique are ease of casting and curing, economy, and uniformity of the elements. Tests carried out with model specimens, having trapezoidal type cross-section indicated that the strength and stiffness of the specimens are not affected by the method of construction. Considering the economy of construction, the folding technique provides an attractive alternative in the construction of folded plate roofing elements.