Performance of Full-Scale 3D-Printed Concrete Walls (2025-05)¶

The 3D concrete printing is an advancing construction technology with the potential to revolutionize the building industry. This study investigates the structural performance of large-scale 3D-printed walls made with regular concrete containing coarse aggregates. The objectives of this study are to investigate important gaps related to the structural behavior of full-scale loadbearing walls, including the effects of a large window opening and vertical reinforcement. The methodology involved conducting full-scale compression load tests on wall specimens, printed and cured on-site under real-world conditions. These wall specimens included configurations with and without window openings, as well as reinforced and unreinforced walls. Key findings indicate that 3D-printed concrete walls with vertical reinforcement achieved up to a 26 % increase in loadbearing capacity and exhibited energy absorption up to three times greater than unreinforced walls. This study also found that the wall with a large window opening reached approximately 80 % of the loadbearing capacity of the specimen without an opening. The implications of this study provide novel knowledge about the performance of large 3D-printed concrete walls under compressive loads. This information will help in establishing guidelines for 3D printing in construction and building design codes.