Feasibility Study of the Use of Polymer-Modified Cement Composites as 3D Concrete Printing Material

Abstract

Recently, a 3D printing process, also known as additive manufacturing, has been introduced in the construction industry as a means of increasing productivity. To apply this technology to construction, concrete, one of the most representative construction materials, must be used as the 3D printing material. Concrete is one of the key elements associated with 3D printing in construction. However, the research on concrete that considers the unique characteristics of 3D printing technology is currently insufficient. There are few studies that address the use of polymer-modified cement composite as a 3D concrete printing material. Thus, this research used preliminary tests to evaluate the feasibility of using a polymer-modified cement composite as a 3D concrete printing material. The polymer-modified cement composite was prepared using not only Portland cement, fly ash, blast furnace (BF) slag, and silica fume, but also a water-soluble polymer. Four fresh properties – flowability, extrudability, open time, and buildability – were evaluated, and it was determined that the addition of the polymer effectively improved the performance of 3D concrete printing materials.