3D Printing for Construction Using Stone Sludge

Abstract

3D printing in construction is recognized by its flexibility in design, cost, and time. It is amplifying every day in terms of technology which provides new solution to several problems. The process of 3D printing with cement-based mixes does not use formwork and thus gives increased flexibility to designers, saves the cost of labor and materials and reduces waste. Printers have been used to construct structural elements and full-scale buildings. But construction has been dealing with one of the major issue, which is the waste management. Stone sludge is one of the most abundantly produced wastes in stone quarries which have been dumped in landfill with low percentage of reuse. This research paper focuses on integrating stone sludge waste from the transformation industry as raw material in the mortar, having the objective to do 3D printing in a cost-effective and affordable way. An experimental work was carried out to obtain convenient mixes to print, evaluating some physical and mechanical properties of casted samples and comparing stone sludge-based mortar with traditional mortar mixes. Mortar specimens were obtained using a robotic arm with an extrusion printing process. Six mortar types with different proportions of stone sludge and admixtures were tested in a systematic way to determine their printable properties. The outcome of the test is presented, discussing possible reasons, factors, and relations between the results obtained. The work carried out shows that it was possible to print using stone sludge with smooth and uniform surface.