A short note on the performance of steel-welded mesh under static loading

Abstract

This short note outlines the performance of the welded mesh under static loading, as well as the breaking strength of mesh strands. A welded mesh with the configuration of 5.6-mm-diameter wires spaced at 100 mm centres and the mesh sheet of 1.5 m wide and 3.4 m long was used. Mesh samples were bolted onto the test frame in series with load cell; the load cell was installed between the upper and lower plates of the Mohr and Federhaff compression tester. The increase in load was applied gradually in perpendicular to the plane of the mesh through 500-mm-long line loading interface across the wires; it was performed until the specimen fails. Furthermore, tensile tests of each strand of the mesh were performed through pulling the steel-welded mesh strand until it breaks. It was noted that a maximum load of 27 kN to 37 kN recorded with the maximum displacement of 420 mm throughout the three tests. The breaking strength of the mesh strands was found ranging from 10.35 kN to 13.85 kN. It was concluded that welded mesh has the ability to withstand the maximum load of 37 kN, with the displacement of 410 mm, while mesh strand was found to break at maximum of 13.85 kN. This type of welded mesh could be useful for shallow and deep underground excavations/ tunnelling as an aerial support.