SAIP BIN SULONG¹

The development of facilities in national parks should take account of various factors such as environment, ecosystem, maintenance and safety. Most national parks use traditional materials such as timber and other forest products as construction materials, but these materials deteriorate relatively quickly.

Ferrocement is an alternative material to replace high cost and short-lived traditional materials. It is the oldest form of cement-based material, consisting of a cement matrix reinforced with a mesh of closely-spaced irons rods or wires. It requires very simple construction techniques and is suitable for developing countries.

Ferrocement’s low cost, durability and serviceability were recognised by engineers and builders throughout the world. Many items have been made with this material in local recreational areas e.g. at the Kuching Water Front and the State Digital Library.

Joseph Louis Lambot invented ferrocement in 1848, with the intention of using it for bridges and buildings. It was patented in 1852 with this statement:

"My invention is a new product that can replace timber (in wood flooring, water container etc.) that is exposed to damage by water or dampness. The base for the new substance is a metal net of wire or rods interconnected to form a flexible woven mat. I fashion this net into a form that is similar to the article I want to create, then I use hydraulic cement or bitumen or mix to fill up the joints." (Quoted in UNIMAS, 1996)

By the 1960s ferrocement’s durability and serviceability was recognised by engineers and builders throughout the world who endorsed it as a suitable and economical material for the construction of barges, larger vessels, tanks and housing (Batson, 2000). Ferrocement was widely accepted in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia. For example, in 1967, a sailing ship was produced from ferrocement in New Zealand and successfully travelled over the world, though it had accidents with steel ships and icebergs (UNIMAS, 1996).

Ferrocement is a very adaptable material that can be used to make a wide range of items of various sizes. It is frequently used for the construction of housing and buildings, landscape structures, agriculture facilities, public health facilities and transportation.

Prefabricated ferrocement wall panels have been used for low cost housing in Selangor, Malaysia (Abdullah, 1990). Mosque domes constructed with ferrocement are found in Indonesia and Jordan, taking advantage of the ease of creating curves with the material. Unique and beautiful buildings with this technology are found in India, Cuba, Israel and Bangladesh. In Malaysia, there are two companies that construct ferrocement boats ranging from 2 to 6 feet in width for export. Ferrocement is also used for swimming pools and pontoons (UNIMAS 1996).

The material is particularly useful for repairing old structures.

Ferrocement has the following features which make it suitable for use in protected areas:

• Unaffected by termites
• Resistant to weathering, lasting well even in wet areas (minimum repair or replacement costs).
• Adaptable: can used for a range of articles, including sculpture or replicas of local cultural designs, plants or animals.
• Does not need any heavy equipment for construction, so can be used in remote areas.
• Straightforward design and construction, with little calculation.

On the other hand, it does have the following disadvantages:

• Needs skilled, creative carpenters to produce good quality items with fine finishes.
• Takes time to produce certain structures.
• Heavy, so that large structures cannot be transported but have to be constructed on site.
• Heavy structures also need strong support and good foundations.

The conservation of forested areas is a high priority. The introduction of new materials other than timber can reduce the consumption of forest products for construction purposes. We should start looking for alternative materials for our parks, materials which have low maintenance costs and are environmentally friendly.

Ferrocement is one material which can be used in place of timber. It is very economical, as it can withstand weathering and has a long life with little maintenance. Most of the ferrocement products around us are replicas of traditional items, such as benches made to look like sawn timber. However, it has its own special properties which can be exploited creatively to produce unique structures which could not be built with traditional materials.

Most important, ferrocement is an environmental friendly material. The construction technique is very simple and does not need any heavy machinery and equipment, which could cause damage to the environment.

Batson, G. (2000). "Book Review Of Ferrocement and Laminated Cementatious Composites", online http://www.ferrocement.net/uses.htm, accessed 24/2/01

UNIMAS (Universiti Malaysia Sarawak) (1996) Kursus Teknologi Simenfero