Lightweight Ferrocement Matrix Compressive Behavior: Experiments Versus Finite Element Analysis

Compressive behavior of lightweight expanded perlite and clay ferrocement mixtures was investigated using data obtained from extensometers, digital image correlation (DIC) and finite element analysis (FEA). In this way, characteristics of various mixtures such as load–displacement behavior, crack pattern, density, ductility, and elastic modulus were first assessed. Displacement and strain fields were then measured using DIC and FEA where the validation of proposed FE models was performed by the experiments. A comparison between DIC and FEA results was also made to better illustrate the observations. The results indicated that DIC is capable of showing cracks at various stages of loading particularly, where the cracks are not visible to naked eye. A satisfactory agreement was also observed between DIC and FE results. Therefore, combination of these two different techniques is appropriate for such evaluations of lightweight ferrocement to have more accurate material characteristics determination.