The tech behind our Prefab Kits: Advanced Ferrocement Unibody Stress-Skin Composite Construction Engineering and Technology
Structural Integration
The am-cor System features advanced, patented, Ferrocement technology. All building elements are unified by a monocoque, Ferrocement building skin – forming a single integrated structure.
Walls, roofs, floors, stairs, balconies, etc. act as a single structural unit
Eliminates need for separate structural elements or materials for walls, beams, columns, headers, etc.
Does not rely on fasteners (nails, bolts, screws)
Single material unibody construction eliminates need for complicated multi-material flashings, connections, and details
The composite construction of the unibody and monocoque structural building skin means:
Greater structural strength
2-3 times the strength of reinforced concrete block masonry
Uses 80% less material than reinforced concrete block masonry
Outside forces distributed through structural stress skin and frame
All outside forces are distributed through the amcorite structural stress skin to the internal galvanized steel frame
Resources
Inventor Angus W. Macdonald's works on Ferrocement:
Ferro-Cement Coatings on Panelized Lightweight Steel Frame Structures, Ferro-7 Seventh International Symposium on Ferrocement and Thin Reinforced Cement Composites, 2001. M. A. Mansur and K. C. G. Ong, editors, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 415-420 - Contact us for a copy
Architectural Details to Develop Affordable Disaster Resistant Structures Using Ferrocement Technology, Ferro-8 Eighth International Symposium on Ferrocement and Thin Reinforced Cement Composites, Bangkok, Thailand, 2006 - Contact us for a copy
Practical Ferrocement Classes at the Ferrocement Educational Network - Many thanks to Director Paul Sarnstrom for his efforts over the years!
Combination of different materials, which together act as a stronger unit
amcorite™ concrete and carbon steel mesh members form structural, highly reinforced stress skin
Allows for both unibody and monocoque construction techniques
Unibody = structural skin is integrated into a single unit with the frame, rather than a separate body-on-frame
Monocoque = structural skin supports structural load, rather than internal frame with non-load-bearing skin
Used in automobile and aircraft construction to provide stability and lightweight structural integrity
Quick History
Ferrocement is the forgotten sister of standard reinforced concrete construction (both were invented & patented in France in the 19th century). Reinforced concrete went on to be used for building, and Ferrocement was mostly used for boat hulls. Unfortunately, Ferrocement's use in construction was eclipsed by reinforced concrete. Architect Angus W. Macdonald developed a method of panelizing, prefabricating, and mass producing Ferrocement building components, called the am-cor System.
Ferrocement Construction
Angus W. Macdonald's combination of advanced Ferrocement unibody construction with his preengineered, prefabricated, panelized production methods, results in a superior building construction system:
Extremely Fast & Efficient
Minimal Labor/Material
Modern, Advanced Technology
Affordable & Inexpensive
Both Green & Sustainable
Ferrocement & the am-cor System
The patented am-cor Unified Steel & Cement System of construction uses Ferrocement extensively, both on a building component level and a structural level.
Key to the am-cor System's success:
Advanced Ferrocement engineering, which allows for an extremely high strength-to-weight ratio, using much less material than standard construction
Specialized amcorite™ structural cement additive, which allows very thin, integrated cement shells to act as disaster-resistant, high tensile, unibody Ferrocement stress-skins
The disaster resistant strength of the am-cor System emerges from its integrated, composite construction.
What is Ferrocement?
am-cor Ferrocement Panel
Ferrocement (n): method of creating highly reinforced, thin shell concrete structures, a type of thin wall reinforced concrete construction where usually a hydraulic cement is reinforced with layers of continuous and relatively small diameter mesh; originally used for boat hulls; invented by Joseph-Louis Lambot in 1848.