Investigation of Mechanical Properties of Structures Created with Use of Automatically Reinforced 3D Concrete Printing (2024-08)¶

The 3D concrete printing (3DCP) technology is a rapidly developing and promising technique for creating concrete structures. One of the main challenges of the 3DCP technology is the method of reinforcement, which should be integrated with the automated printing process, while maintaining the best mechanical properties important for the strength of the structure. The main reason to undertake the subject is low degree of automation in construction industry, which results in high cost of human labour, as well as high rate of accidents in process. The article proposes a technology for automatic reinforcement of concrete structures with glass fibres and epoxy resin. Maximum bending force tests of the beams reinforced with the proposed method were carried out and compared with the beams reinforced with commonly used methods. Although not being an article focused on DIC analysis, several images were presented to compare the behaviour of non-reinforced beam with automatically reinforced one and to show cracking propagation of a chosen automatically reinforced beam. The proposed method of reinforcement in the 3DCP process enables full automation and constructions with high bending strength, simultaneously reducing the level of risk involved in conventional construction industry.