Development of 3D-printable ultra-high performance fiber-reinforced concrete for digital construction

• Published in: Construction & building materials 2020-10, Vol.257, p.119546, Article 119546
• Main Authors: Arunothayan, Arun R., Nematollahi, Behzad, Ranade, Ravi, Bong, Shin Hau, Sanjayan, Jay
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3D concrete printing; Extrusion; Mechanical properties; Steel fibers; Ultra-high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete
• ISSN: 0950-0618; 1879-0526
• DOI: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2020.119546

•A non-proprietary 3D-printable UHPFRC was systematically developed.•Fresh and hardened properties of the printable UHPFRC were characterized.•Anisotropy was observed in hardened properties with respect to print direction.•Printed specimens showed superior performance in flexure to mold-cast specimens.•The applicability of the developed mixture for large scale printing was validated. 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.