3D-printable engineered cementitious composites (3DP-ECC): Fresh and hardened properties. (May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yu, Kequan; McGee, Wes; Ng, Tsz Yan; Zhu, He; Li, Victor C.
• Is Part Of: Cement and concrete research. Volume 143(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-05
• Subjects: 3D printing -- Self-reinforced -- Engineered cementitious composite -- Rheology -- Mechanical properties; Cement -- Periodicals; Cement -- Research -- Periodicals; Concrete -- Periodicals; Concrete -- Research -- Periodicals; Ciment -- Périodiques; Béton -- Périodiques; Cement; Concrete; Periodicals; 620.135
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2021.106388
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0008-8846

Abstract

Abstract: 3D printing (3DP) is an emerging digital construction method for concrete materials. A major impediment to efficient 3D concrete printing (3DCP) is the need for steel reinforcement, the placement of which is incompatible with the 3DP process. Unlike plain concrete, ductile self-reinforced engineered cementitious composite (ECC) holds promise to remove the dependence on steel reinforcement. The objective of this research is to develop a 3D-printable ECC (3DP-ECC). The fresh rheological and hardened mechanical properties of 3DP-ECC are investigated. The robotically printed tensile specimens demonstrated the familiar multiple microcracking and strain-hardening behavior of conventionally cast ECC. Significant orthotropy is revealed in the compressive properties. The interface between printed layers is found to be toughened by a printed groove-tongue joint. The developed 3DP-ECC was used to print a twisted column with 150 layers, reaching a height of 1.5 m. This research lays the groundwork for efficient robotically 3D-printed structures of complex shapes.