Printable Profile of Sustainable Modified Cementitious Materials for Additive Manufacturing Applications in Digital Construction

Abstract

The construction industry is a conservative sector with limited innovation improvements compared to other industrial sectors. The construction industry has a considerably bad reputation in regard to its carbon footprint. Based on these facts, the construction industry is pressed to change and to be more sustainable by using technological innovations which, are provided by the so-called third industrial revolution. These innovations are related to the development of the material science, robotics, environmental and computer sciences. The application of these innovations promises to transform the traditional construction to a digital construction. A main aspect of digital construction is the adoption of digital fabrication methods. The most well-known digital fabrication method is the additive manufacturing method. The research interest about the additive manufacturing methods in construction industry is rising in the recent years. This project studies the use of cementitious materials in additive manufacturing methods with emphasis on printable behaviour of 3D Printing Concrete (3DPC). This study presents all the necessary knowledge gained from the relevant literature review about 3DPC and its applications. Also, conclusions are drawn about the printable properties of 3DPC through the analysis of preliminary experimental outcomes.