Compressive Strength Measurements Research Articles

Effect of adding highly reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets based nanomaterial on cement composites

A specific form of carbon-based nanomaterials, such as highly reduced graphene oxide (rGO), is synthesized. Their influence of adding in a cementitious composite has been documented in this work. The prepared rGO is being added in order to strengthen the performance of cement composites. The rGO was synthesized using a top-down approach followed by a redox reaction from graphite powder as a starting material. Simply-two steps, the first one is the oxidation of graphite using the modified hummers method, and the second one is the reduction of obtained graphene oxide in order to get rGO. Structural characterization was done using X-ray diffraction (XRD), and FE-SEM/EDX analysis. The characterization results show a successful formation of rGO-based nanomaterial. Further, the synthesized rGO was added as an additive in cementitious composites. The five mixes, including the reference sample, were prepared with the synthesized rGO concentration of (0.03 %, 0.05 %, 0.07 %, and 0.09 % by wt. of cement). The effect on microstructural changes and mechanical properties was studied experimentally using in-situ FE-SEM imaging and compressive strength measurements. The compressive strength at the rGO dosage of 0.09 % gives better strength in comparison to the rest of the mixes. The microstructural analysis was done using SEM/EDX measurements. A significant improvement in compressive strength has been observed even at a low concentration (0.03 %) of rGO. The results are also be verified by phase assemblage using XRD test results.

Packing density investigation of blended cement pastes incorporating waste perlite and recycled concrete powder

Widely available industrial local waste materials could be viable solutions as supplementary cementitious materials. Aside from their possible positive effect on material properties, benefits are also expected in the environmental and economic sense. This is the case mainly because these materials do not have value in the market and are discarded as waste. This research examines locally abundant waste powders from the production of recycled concrete aggregate and perlite. For the investigation, the wet packing density method was used based on volumetric replacement ratios of cement ranging from 2.5 to 12.5% and 2.5 to 7.5% for waste perlite and recycled concrete powder, respectively. The ternary blended cements showed beneficial behaviour when compared to reference containing solely ordinary Portland cement. On the other hand, compressive strength is one of the key indicators of porous materials' mechanical and durability performance. Compressive strength measurements for the blended cement pastes were also obtained to identify the possible enhancement in the packing density and its effect on the mechanical properties of cementitious materials. It has been demonstrated that focusing just on packing density for investigation of the mechanical performance of cementitious materials when alternative solutions are concerned might not be the most robust approach.

Yttrium aluminum garnet-based filler resin composites used as clear aligner attachments.

The objective of this study was to develop a novel resin composite containing yttrium aluminum garnet (Y3Al5O12, YAG) nanoparticles for clear aligner attachments. After the silanization of YAG, their Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) and thermogravimetric (TGA) analyses were performed. By conducting flexural and compressive strength measurements, the optimal YAG concentration was selected for the subsequent experiments. Next, Vickers microhardness values, fluidities, attachment volumes, conversion degrees, and volumetric shrinkages of the resin were determined. The obtained FT-IR and TG results revealed that γ-methacryloxypropy ltrimethoxysilane coupling agent was successfully grafted onto the surface of YAG, which enabled their use as inorganic fillers. Furthermore, adding 9 wt% YAG in the resin can increase Vickers hardness and fluidity, reduce polymerization shrinkage, and enhance the restoration of the clear aligner attachment shape on the premise of guarantee proper flexural and compressive strength of the resin, which can help control tooth movement and increase orthodontic efficiency.

Correlating Durability Indicators to Resistivity and Formation Factor of Concrete Materials

Concrete pavement durability in the United States is an important characteristic that owners are considering in new construction and rehabilitation projects, and many are including durability tests in the next generation of their specifications. Specifically, focus has fallen on electrically based testing owing to its rapid testing time and economical testing equipment. Results from electrically based tests have also been shown to be good inputs to service life models and can correlate with a wide range of other material properties used to understand how ions and fluid are transported through concrete. This study aimed to correlate the two most common electrically based test results (resistivity and formation factor) with more established and involved tests of transport properties, such as rapid chloride migration and water absorption. The major difference between these two tests resides in the conditioning solution, which is typically limewater for resistivity and an alkali-concentrated solution for the formation factor. Based on the results, both electrical resistivity and formation factor were deemed acceptable tools for mixture approval and acceptance, though formation factor demonstrated higher correlations with the other transport properties and, therefore, was preferrable for performance modeling. Overall, concrete resistivity and formation factor measurements at ages beyond 28 days could be used to indicate the durability of a concrete material during its lifespan. During the investigation, the authors observed that compressive strength measurements were independent of the type and volume of the conditioning solution.

Effect of green liquor dregs as an alkali source for alkali-activated blast furnace slag mortar

Sodium-rich green liquor dregs (GLD) are one of the main landfilled residues generated in pulp mills, and to date, no economically profitable ways to utilise GLD has been identified. In this study, GLD have been studied to be used as an alternative alkali source together with alkali-activator, sodium metasilicate (Na2SiO3), for blast furnace slag (BFS) mortar. Microsilica was used as an additional silica source to ensure steady Na2O:SiO2-ratio (0.16). In purpose to remove the remaining organic carbon and increase the suitability of GLD to be used in alkali-activated materials, it has been first thermally treated in 525 °C. The amount of GLD in the recipes varied from 0 to 45 wt%. Calorimetry measurements showed that increasing the amount of GLD reduced the hydration heat and postponed the reaction. With thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy it was found that hydrated samples with more GLD contained more carbonate phases, which indicated that the reactivity of GLD was lower in comparison with that of other raw materials. Compressive and flexural strength measurements showed that increasing the amount of GLD affected the early strength gain (2 and 7 days) of the samples, but at the age of 29 days, the difference was not as high. The compressive strength of the reference sample at 29 days was 59 MPa, while the compressive strength of four sample recipes containing GLD (up to 36 wt%) was higher than 49 MPa. According to the results, green liquor dregs have potential to be used as a secondary alkali source in alkali-activated materials, but more detailed study should be conducted for the recipe in the future.

Investigation of the effect of curing and high temperature on the strength of copolymer added geopolymer mortars

Cracks that occur in geopolymer mortars under the influence of high temperature cause a decrease in strength. In this study, ethylene and methyl-acrylate copolymer-based phase change material added (5%, 10% and 15% by mass) Geopolymer mortar samples (GMS) were produced by alkali activation of slag. Samples cured at 23 °C, 50 °C and 95 °C. Flexural strength and compressive strength and Ultrasonic pulse velocity measurements were made after exposed two different high temperatures (250 °C, 500 °C) and while the samples were hot and cooled state. Due to the fact that the phase change material melts, fills the cracks and cools, it has a bridge effect, thus providing superior strength properties. The flexural strength was increased approximately 4 times by adding 15% PCM. Compressive strength of copolymer-based phase change material added GMS cured at 23 °C increased up to 169% compared to the compressive strength at ambient conditions after exposure to 500 °C. While the curing temperature of 50 °C or 95 °C does not cause a significant change on compressive strength in laboratory conditions, the compressive strength of these samples is 5 times higher than that of samples cured at 23 °C. After exposure to 500 °C, there was a 48% increase in compressive strength between cooled and hot state.

Experimental and machine learning study of thermal conductivity of cement composites for geothermal wells

Geothermal energy is the thermal energy present within the sub-surface of the earth. The efficiency of any geothermal energy system depends on net heat obtained at the surface during the production stage. However, thermal energy can be easily dissipated during the production stage of a geothermal well. In deep geothermal wells, these losses can be caused by the exchange of heat between the coolant and heated water, through the movement of the hotter fluid in the annulus, or through the convectional exchange of heat with the surrounding formations having low temperatures. The proper selection of cement material is crucial for a geothermal well as it provides a medium for heat transfer between the well and formation. On one hand, a low thermal conductive cement for the upper sections of a well can help to limit the heat transfer between the relatively cooler formation and the produced heating fluid. On the other hand, high thermal conductive coefficient cement can be preferred for the bottom sections of a geothermal well to avoid thermal loading and micro-crack development. A highly conductive cement in lower sections of the well will also support greater heat absorption from the formation to the working fluid.This experimental study measures and analyzes the thermal conductivity of class G cement along with different additives such as Fly Ash (FA), Micro cellulose (MC), Sand, Titanium Oxide (TiO2), and Gilsonite for up to 45 days of curing time. The samples are cured in both dry and wet conditions to observe the effect of the curing environment on the thermal conductivity of cement. Moreover, the Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) is used for indirect measurement of compressive strength. It was noted that samples cured in the dry condition showed lower thermal conductivity and higher transit time irrespective of the additives and curing age.To expand the understanding of cement behavior with influencing factors such as additive type, curing time, and curing environment, clustering-based machine learning was implemented on the experimental database. Clustering, an unsupervised machine learning algorithm is immensely helpful in discovering hidden patterns and trends in the dataset. Four distinct clusters of cement behavior were observed and characterized by various influencing factors.

Cow dung ash (CDA): A sustainable conductive filler for enhancing electromagnetic shielding property of cement mortar

Cow Dung ash (CDA) is a wide spread farm by-product, generated by burning dry cow-dung. Cement mortar, the work horse of construction industry inherently possesses significant electrical conductivity, thereby providing considerable electromagnetic shielding property. CDA is investigated as novel sustainable conductive filler, as sand replacement, for enhancing electromagnetic shielding property of cement mortar. The electromagnetic properties of CDA are determined employing standard wave guide techniques, in X band, and electrical conductivity around 10-2 S/m is observed. The electrical loss tangent is observed around 0.2–0.3. Cement mortar slabs with CDA as sand replacement are prototyped. Sand replacement till 15 % by volume is investigated. Considerable reduction in compressive strength is reported in literature for sand replacement beyond 15 %. After 28 days of curing, the prototyped slabs are subjected to electromagnetic shielding effectiveness determination, as per ASTM 4935 two antenna standard, in the X band of frequencies centred around 10 GHz. Shielding Effectiveness (SE) around 7 dB is observed for 3 % CDA as sand replacement, around 10 dB for 10 % replacement, and around 20 dB for 15 % CDA. Compressive strength measurement employing Universal Testing machine presented significant reduction in compressive strength as CDA replacement tend towards 15 %. Employing CDA loaded cement mortar for plastering, is a low cost, easy deployable solution for realizing customized electromagnetic shielding levels in buildings housing critical electrical and electronic infrastructure including servers and data centres. Realizing low cost, easy deployable customized shielding solutions is an upcoming research domain, primarily due to the anticipated increase in ambient electromagnetic field levels in our surroundings caused by the rampant deployment of communication technologies including 5G and IoT. Apart from providing positive environmental impact, acting as sand replacement, enhanced CDA utilization by engineering sectors can lead to good revenue generation model for rural economic development.

INSULATING COMPOSITES BASED ON A MIXTURE OF RICE HUSK AND STRAW

The present study is aimed at obtaining environmentally friendly thermal insulation slabs containing rice husk as the main structure-forming material. The second component of the structure-forming composition is wheat straw. The experimental data on the physical properties of thermal insulation slabs, included the measurement of density, thermal conductivity, sorption moisture and compressive strength. The use of straw in an amount of up to 50% of the total mass of the composition allows to reduce the coefficient of thermal conductivity of insulation slabs to 0,054 – 0,055 W/(m·K). The indicators of the thermal conductivity coefficient of insulation slabs are due to the microstructure of husk and wheat straw, which is confirmed by the results of electron microscopy obtained in the course of research. Liquid glass ensures the formation of a rigid and durable structure of environmentally friendly thermal insulation boards and prevents damage to the insulation by rodents.

Pengaruh Variasi Campuran Bentonit Terhadap Karakteristik Pasir Cetak Untuk Proses Sand Casting

The casting process is widely used because it has the advantage of being able to make products with small dimensions to very large dimensions, the use of materials is more efficient, the casting products can be directly used. However, in the casting process, the main triggers for the formation of defects are the nature of the mold, low permeability, low molding compressive strength, low sintering point, unsuitable sand grain distribution, so research is needed to obtain the right type of molding sand as a sand mold in metal casting. The only type of additive is bentonite. Bentonite can absorb water and expands between 8-15 times and remains dispersed in water for a certain period of time. This study aims to examine the effect of a mixture of variations of local bentonite and Australian bentonite on the characteristics of the molding sand for the sand casting process. The tests carried out are in the form of size distribution testing, X-Ray Diffraction, water content testing, compressive strength, and permeability measurements. Bentonite was varied into 5 variations of the mixture with a difference of 20% in each mixture. The results of the large size distribution of silica sand grains were 37.6 GFN. The results of XRD testing of local bentonite showed a higher content of calcium compounds and Australian bentonite contained higher sodium compounds. The largest water content test value is 5.825%. The largest compressive strength test value is 2.7 Kgf /cm 2 .

Mode I and mode II fracture toughness and fracture energy of cement concrete containing different percentages of coarse and fine recycled tire rubber granules

The effect of adding recycled tire rubber granules on pure mode I and II fracture behaviors of ordinary cement concrete is investigated using a testing specimen called the Edge Notch Disc Bend (ENDB). Several ENDB samples containing coarse and fine rubber granules with weight percentages of 0, 1, 2, 4, and 12% are tested to obtain the corresponding values of the fracture toughness and fracture energy besides the compressive strength measurement. The results showed the noticeable effects of both granule type (i.e., fine and coarse) and percentage of granules on the fracture characteristics of the tested cement concrete mixtures. The addition of up to 4% coarse grain granules can provide concrete mixtures with acceptable fracture characteristics. However, the greater percentage of rubber granules noticeably reduces the performance of concrete against cracking. The relationships between fracture characteristics (including modes I and II fracture toughnesses and fracture energy values at the onset of peak load and final failure stage) were explored in terms of the common compressive strength index of the tested concrete mixtures. In general, fairly linear correlations were obtained between the cracking resistance indexes and the compressive strength of the tested concrete materials.

Effect of sewage on compressive strength and geometric texture of the surface of concrete elements

AbstractThis paper presents the results of a study on the compressive strength, weight loss, surface roughness, elemental analysis and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) measurement after 270 days of seasoning concrete cubes measuring 100 × 100 × 100 mm in solutions of sewage from the post‐grit chamber as well as sewage from the activated sludge chamber in three different environments, that is, acidic, neutral, and alkaline. The value of the compressive strength of the samples stored in the tested environments varied depending on the type of the tested wastewater and its pH in relation to the control sample. The most influence on compressive strength was acidic environment—the decrease was approximately 12.7% in the post‐grit chamber and 9.5% in the activated sludge chamber. Samples which had been seasoned in the post‐grid chamber were characterized by UPVs ranging from 4805.3 to 4864.6 m/s. Samples seasoned in an activated sludge chamber achieved UPVs ranging from 4689.7 to 4778.9 m/s. The average relative error between the compressive strength values calculated from the ultrasonic method according formula (3) and the measured values does not exceed 4%. The conclusions from the 3D measurements of roughnesses show that parameters Ra, Rz, Sa, and Sq are the most reliable in assessing the roughness intensity of corrosion damage of concrete caused by sewage. Elemental analysis proved that in the acidic pH solution of sewage from the post‐grit chamber, the presence of calcium was not identified at any of the points tested.

Adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline from water by kappa‐carrageenan and iron oxide nanoparticle‐filled poly (acrylonitrile‐co‐N‐vinyl pyrrolidone) composite gel

AbstractIron oxide nanoparticles (FeNPs) based magnetic hydrogels were prepared by in‐situ co‐precipitation of ferric/ferrous salts during copolymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) and N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NVP) at different molar ratios by emulsion polymerization in the presence of different wt% of kappa‐carrageenan (KC) and N, N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBA)crosslinker. The hydrogels were characterized by FTIR, proton and13C‐NMR, XPS, XRD, DTA‐TGA, DLS, VSM, UV–Visible spectroscopy, TEM, EDX, PZC, compressive strength and contact angle measurement. The network parameters of the gel networks were determined from equilibrium swelling using Flory and Rehner model. The nanocomposite gels were used for batch and column adsorption of tetracycline (TC) from water. After repeated adsorptions, the TC‐loaded gels were further used for their photocatalytic degradation for safe removal. The NPs‐loaded nanocomposite prepared with 5:1 AN:NVP molar ratio, 1 wt% initiator, 1 wt% MBA and 2 wt% KC showed a rejection of 90.2% and an equilibrium adsorption capacity of 38.9 mg/g for continuous adsorption of 50 mg/L TCs in water in a fixed bed of height 25 mm for an inflow rate of 20 ml/min and the same TC‐loaded composite showed a photo‐degradation efficiency of 86.1% in 2 h.

Comparison of ternary and dual combined waste-derived alkali activators on the durability of volcanic ash-based geopolymers

In this study, combined waste-derived alkali activators are used to prepare volcanic ash-based geopolymers and to evaluate their durability under freeze–thaw conditions. The comparable alkali activators are Na2SO4–Ca(OH)2 (N–C), Na2SO4-calcium carbide residue (N-CCR), Na2SO4-calcium carbide residue-NaOH (N-CCR-H), Na2SO4-calcium carbide residue-Na2SiO3 (N-CCR-S). Microstructure and strength of the geopolymers are characterized through XRD, SEM, FTIR, NMR and compressive strength measurements. Pore structure of the geopolymers is determined by adsorption/desorption isotherms and BET calculations. It is found that the ternary alkali activators give superior activation synergy than dual alkali activators. The compressive strengths of N-CCR-S and N-CCR geopolymers are 61.0 MPa and 23.1 MPa after 7 d in air. After freeze–thaw cycles for 30 days, the compressive strength of the N-CCR-S geopolymer is three times higher than that of the N-CCR geopolymer. These significant differences originate from their N-A-S-H and C-(A)-S-H gel structures. The N-CCR-S geopolymers possess a more homogeneous and dense microstructure with low pore structure. This study proposes a method for the effective utilization of volcanic ash and alkaline solid wastes.

The effect of fault-induced compaction on petrophysical properties of deformation bands in poorly lithified sandstones

Although it is well documented that during faulting there is an overall fault zone porosity loss in porous sandstone, little is known about the effect of shear-induced compaction on subsequent deformation bands petrophysics. We studied the impact of fault-induced compaction on deformation band's petrophysical properties developed in poorly lithified sandstones of the Rio do Peixe Basin, Brazil. We compared undeformed sandstone and deformation bands associated with syn-rift normal faults and post-rift strike-slip faults by integrating structural, petrophysical, mineralogical and uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) measurements. The sealing behavior was interpreted from capillary pressure obtained from mercury injection porosimetry and in situ air permeability. Host rock consists of poorly lithified sandstone with 25–30% porosity, permeability of 1.3 Darcy, capillary pressure of 5 psi, and UCS of 20 MPa. The normal faults developed from soft-sediment conditions with moderate to intense cataclasis, and resulted in an overall fault zone compaction (deformation bands and zones between deformation bands) with localized porosity and permeability loss in deformation bands (10% and 12 mD) and rock volumes between deformation bands (20% and 0.7 Darcy). Compared to syn-rift deformation bands, the strike-slip deformation bands show similar porosity (12–13%), but lower permeability (1–10 mD) and greater capillary pressures (up to 114 psi). XRD analysis on clay minerals indicates that both syn-rift and post-rift faults formed under similar shallow burial depths (<1–2 km). Therefore, we propose a model that quantifies fault-induced compaction and may predict fault sealing in structurally complex, deformation bands-dominated sandstone reservoirs affected by multiple tectonic stages.

Study on early hydration and properties of basic magnesium sulfate cement using electrodeless resistivity measurements

The effect of early hydration behaviour on the long-term performance of cement is profound, but such studies are lacking. The early hydration behaviour and mechanical properties of basic magnesium sulfate (BMS) cement were investigated using an electrodeless resistivity test combined with compressive strength measurement, X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy and mercury intrusion porosimetry. According to the resistivity variation curve, the early hydration process of BMS cement can be divided into three stages (induction period, acceleration period and deceleration period). A linear correlation between resistivity and setting time was established. The initial and final setting times of BMS cement could thus be estimated using two points on the differential resistivity curve – the time when the resistivity growth rate starts to increase and the time of maximum resistivity, respectively. A linear fitting equation between resistivity at 24 h and compressive strength of the BMS cement after curing for 28 days was determined. The correlation coefficient was high (0.9979). Using the equation, the long-term strength (28 days) of BMS cement could be precisely predicted from the measured resistivity at 24 h. This study provides a feasible, accurate and in situ method for understanding the early hydration behaviour and quality monitoring of BMS cement.

Highlighting Bacteria with Calcifying Abilities Suitable to Improve Mortar Properties.

Biomineralization, the use of microorganisms to produce calcium carbonate, became a green solution for application in construction materials to improve their strength and durability. The calcifying abilities of several bacteria were investigated by culturing on a medium with urea and calcium ions. The characterization of the precipitates from bacterial cultures was performed using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The formation of carbonate crystals was demonstrated by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Water absorption and compressive strength measurements were applied to mortars embedded with sporal suspension. The efficiency of the supplementation of mortar mixtures with bacterial cells was evaluated by properties, namely the compressive strength and the water absorption, which are in a relationship of direct dependence, the increase in compressive strength implying the decrease in water absorption. The results showed that Bacillus subtilis was the best-performing bacterium, its introduction into the mortar producing an increase in compressive strength by 11.81% and 9.50%, and a decrease in water absorption by 11.79% and 10.94%, after 28 and 56 days of curing, respectively, as compared to standards. The exploitation of B. subtilis as a calcifying agent can be an interesting prospect in construction materials.

Biochar amendment for improved and more sustainable peat stabilisation

Carbon-intensive binders such as cement are traditionally employed to stabilise peat. Few studies have investigated alternative materials such as biochar to improve peat stability while simultaneously sequestering carbon dioxide. This study explored biochar produced through pyrolysis of clean wood and leaves to stabilise peat from Tiller-Flotten, Norway. Unconfined compressive strength, water content and pH measurements on biochar, Portland composite cement and peat compositions and a sustainability assessment were conducted. It was found that biochar amendment increased strength and stiffness of peat and cement-stabilised peat. Biochar showed the potential to reduce the cement amount when stabilising peat while retaining geotechnical properties. Peat stabilised with 200 kg/m3 of biochar and 100 kg/m3 of cement exhibited comparable strength (63.3 ± 4.2 kPa, n = 3) as samples with 200 kg/m3 of cement (63.2 ± 1.3 kPa, n = 3), but with a negative carbon footprint. Adding biochar quantities greater than 27% of the cement quantities resulted in a climate-neutral stabilisation. At a carbon price of approximately €85/t, the biochar costs equalled the cement costs. The cement-only samples outperformed the ones with additional biochar in terms of shear strength/€, while future carbon prices increased the competitiveness of biochar amendments.

Effect of curing temperature and water-to-cement ratio on corrosion of steel in calcium aluminate cement concrete

• CAC specimens were made with different w/c, and cured at different temperatures. • The w/c and temperature played a crucial role in the porosity of CAC. • Increasing the curing temperature can improve the corrosion resistance of CAC. This study evaluated the corrosion resistance of pure calcium aluminate cement (CAC) concrete specimens made with water-to-cement ( w/c ) ratios of 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6 and cured at 4, 21, and 90 °C following the ASTM G109 standard. Thermogravimetric analysis results showed increased CAC conversion with increased curing temperature. Compressive strength and bulk electrical resistivity measurements showed that the CAC specimens had lower strength and higher bulk electrical resistivity than ordinary portland cement (OPC) concrete. Macrocell corrosion currents measured after cyclic exposure to chloride solutions showed that the CAC specimens were highly permeable and less resistant to chloride-induced corrosion than OPC concrete. Among the different CAC specimens tested in this study, the specimens made with a w/c of 0.4 and cured at 90 °C showed the highest corrosion resistance.

Development of Test Methods to Evaluate the Printability of Concrete Materials for Additive Manufacturing.

This study proposes test methods for assessing the printability of concrete materials for Additive Manufacturing. The printability of concrete is divided into three main aspects: flowability, setting time, and buildability. These properties are considered to monitor the critical quality of 3DCP and to ensure a successful print. Flowability is evaluated through a rheometer test, where the evolution of shear yield strength is monitored at a constant rate (rpm), similar to the printer setup. Flowability limits were set based on the user-defined maximum thickness of a printed layer and the onset of gaps/cracks during printing. Setting time is evaluated through an ultrasonic wave pulse velocity test (UPV), where the first inflection point of the evolution of the UPV graph corresponds to the setting time of the concrete specimen. The results from this continuous non-destructive test were found to correlate with the results from the discrete destructive ASTM C-191 test for measuring setting time with a maximum difference of 5% between both sets of values. Lastly, buildability was evaluated through the measurement of the early-age compressive strength of concrete, and a correlation with the UPV results obtained a predictive model that can be used in real-time to non-destructively assess the material buildability. This predictive model had a maximum percentage difference of 13% with the measured values. The outcome of this study is a set of tests to evaluate the properties of 3D printable concrete (3DP) material and provide a basis for a framework to benchmark and design materials for additive manufacturing.