Open Access

A FEniCS based python module of the Proper Generalized Decomposition (PGD) method.

To show compliance to structural engineering codes and implement quality control measures, it is critical to obtain reliable mechanical properties of the materials in question. For conventional cast and precast concrete, the experimental procedures and relationships between mechanical properties, the material composition, and the production methods are globally known, but for 3D concrete printing (3DCP), these relations have not yet been established. Previous studies have shown little consistency in results, and the underlying experimental methods have not been established broadly. There is an urgent need to address these issues as the application of 3DCP in practice projects is growing rapidly. Therefore, RILEM TC 304-ADC: Assessment of Additively Manufactured Concrete Materials and Structures has set up a large interlaboratory study into the mechanical properties of 3D printed concrete. This paper presents key elements of the experimental approach detailed in the Study Plan and the supporting considerations. Furthermore, it reports on the response, consisting of 34 contributions from 30 laboratories, detailing global coverage, properties of the applied mixture designs and characteristics of the printing facilities that have been used. Subsequently, some fundamental results from compression, flexural, and E-modulus testing are presented and—considering cast specimens as a reference—discussed. On average, a reduction in strength was found in compression and E-modulus (all tested orientations). For flexure, on the other hand, an increase was found in two testing orientations, while a decrease was observed in the third orientation. Importantly, even though the applied experimental methods were found to be reasonably appropriate to obtain the required data, the differences found between individual contributions are significant and sometimes non-consistent, suggesting that testing on specific material-facility combinations is necessary to reliably determine the mechanical properties of objects produced from them. Furthermore, a theoretical framework needs to be developed to further explain the variations that were observed. Extensive analyses of all acquired data are out of the scope of this contribution, but presented in two associated papers, whereas a third presents the data management approach used to process the approximately 5,000 test results.

Traditional construction techniques, such as in-situ casting and pre-cast concrete methods, have well-established testing protocols for assessing compressive strength and modulus of elasticity, including specific procedures for sample preparation and curing. In contrast, 3D concrete printing currently lacks standardized testing protocols, potentially contributing to the inconsistent results reported in previous studies. To address this issue, RILEM TC 304-ADC initiated a comprehensive interlaboratory study on the mechanical properties of 3D printed concrete. This study involves 30 laboratories worldwide, contributing 34 sets of data, with some laboratories testing more than one mix design. The compressive strength and modulus of elasticity were determined under three distinct conditions: Default, where each laboratory printed according to their standard procedure followed by water bath curing; Deviation 1, which involved creating a cold joint by increasing the time interval between printing layers; and Deviation 2, where the standard printing process was used, but the specimens were cured under conditions different from water bath. Some tests were conducted at two different scales based on specimen size—“mortar-scale” and “concrete-scale”—to investigate the size effect on compressive strength. Since the mix design remained identical for both scales, the only variable was the specimen size. This paper reports on the findings from the interlaboratory study, followed by a detailed investigation into the influencing parameters such as extraction location, cold joints, number of interlayers, and curing conditions on the mechanical properties of the printed concrete. As this study includes results from laboratories worldwide, its contribution to the development of relevant standardized testing protocols is critical.

Innovationen sind der Treiber des technologischen Fortschritts. Durch die Anwendung innovativer Technologien, Produktionsverfahren und neuer Materialien können Effizienzsteigerungen erzielt werden, die sowohl zu einer Kosten- als auch Materialreduzierung führen können. Gerade vor dem Hintergrund einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung sind Innovationen der Schlüssel zu einem verantwortungsvollen Umgang mit Ressourcen und Rohstoffen. Im Rahmen des 63. DAfStb-Forschungskolloquiums (Tagungsband: DOI 10.26272/opus4-61338) an der BAM wurden innovative Ansätze im Bereich effizienter Fertigungstechnologien und neuer Materialien vorgestellt, die nachfolgend kurz zusammengefasst werden.

3D concrete printing is an innovative new construction technology offering the potential to enable the efficient production of individual structures with less consumption of resources. The technology will mainly shape the future construction philosophy. From the design of a structure to the printed component, many individual steps based on different software are required, which must be repeated for each new or even slightly changed design. The geometry of the structure is created in a CAD program. The print path is defined in slicer software leading to the machine code for the printer to print the structure. A numerical model of the printed structure makes optimization in design and fabrication possible, by predicting the behaviour of the structure and reducing the number of test prints and costs. For that, additional steps like meshing the design and running a simulation are required. In order to work efficiently, an automated workflow is necessary, which runs all of the individual steps without interacting with each software program. Furthermore, changes in parameters or the exchange of parts (different designs or printers) must be simple. One way to develop such an automated workflow is presented within this paper. The interfaces are defined in a way that allows running the full chain of tools as well as individual steps. The workflow is demonstrated based on the example of a parametrized wall element for extrusion-based concrete. Furthermore, a test series of cubes is printed, and the influence of different infill structures is numerically and experimentally compared.