Abstract
This paper presents the systematic development and performance characterization of a non-proprietary 3D-printable ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC). Several fresh and hardened state properties of the 3D-printable UHPFRC matrix (without fiber) and composite (with 2% volume fraction of steel fibers) were evaluated and compared to that of conventionally mold-cast UHPFRC. Additionally, the effects of test direction on the compressive strength and modulus of rupture of the printed UHPFRC were investigated. The fresh properties of the UHPFRC developed in this study satisfied the criteria for extrudability, buildability, and shape-retention-ability, which are relevant for ensuring printability. The printed UHPFRC exhibited superior flexural performance to the mold-cast UHPFRC due to alignment of the short fibers in the printing direction. The high compressive and flexural strengths, along with the deflection-hardening behavior, of the developed UHPFRC can enable the production of thin 3D-printed components with significant reduction or complete elimination of conventional steel bars.
Highlights
The automation of construction industry by means of Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies such as 3D-concrete-printing (3DCP) has been gaining attention over the past decade
Few printable concretes with the above combination of properties have been reported in the literature – for example, normal strength concrete [7], geopolymer concrete [8, 9], earth-based mortar [10], and high-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composite (HPFRCC) [11, 12]
The spread diameters of the ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) matrix and composite before drop of the flow table were close to the bottom diameter of the mini-slump cone used in this study (100 mm), indicating the fresh mixtures had almost zero slump before drop of the flow table, which is desirable for extrusionbased 3DCP
Summary
The automation of construction industry by means of Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies such as 3D-concrete-printing (3DCP) has been gaining attention over the past decade. The layer-bylayer deposition process of 3DCP stimulates geometrical freedom to build complex multifunctional architectures [1,2,3,4,5] These practical advantages of the 3DCP technique make it valuable for the construction industry. Few printable concretes with the above combination of properties have been reported in the literature – for example, normal strength concrete [7], geopolymer concrete [8, 9], earth-based mortar [10], and high-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composite (HPFRCC) [11, 12] These materials were designed for a specific printer with particular printing configurations (nozzle type and size, flow rate, pumping specifications, etc.) and will likely not work elsewhere due to change in material constituents or printing configuration. Application-specific cementitious materials should be systematically developed for extrusion-based 3DCP
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