Utilization of antimony tailings in fiber-reinforced 3D printed concrete: A sustainable approach for construction materials

Abstract

3D printed concrete (3DPC) is an innovative solution offering faster construction, reduced waste, and greater design flexibility. Antimony tailings (AT) enhance the material’s durability and strength while promoting sustainability by reducing waste. This provides a cost-effective and eco-friendly solution for construction. Based on it, this research tries to verify the viability of a 3D printing concrete with up to 100 % AT by assessing its fluidity, extrudability, buildability, and strength. This study used five different replacement percentages (0 %, 25 %, 50 %, 75 % and 100 %) of AT to partially replace the silica sand in the mix. Additionally, 1 % of the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers were used to improve the flexural capacity of the mixes because of the non-availability of the reinforcement in the 3DPC. Results showed that addition produced the highest compressive and flexural strength at75 %AT. There was a smaller reduction in the compressive and flexural strength at75 %AT anisotropically. The highest porosity was observed in the 100 %AT mix due to higher water absorption than control. This shows that the mix with 75 %AT can not only meet the printability requirements but can provide better strength which is beneficial for the practical application of 3D concrete printing.