3D Printing of Fibers and Reinforcements for Cementitious Composites to Maximize the Fracture-Resisting Performance of FRCCs (2016-06)¶

To date, FRCCs (Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composites) have been used with many different applications in various industries. However, the construction field has adopted this system relatively late compared to other industries. As this field shows an increasing need for FRCCs, research in this area has also expanded rapidly. Recently, various cutting-edge technologies have been integrated with the manufacturing of matrices and fibers to develop higher-performance FRCCs. However, the technologies involved in the current stage are usually focused on the development of material properties, the performances of matrix and fibers, and interfaces between matrix and fibers. Among the newly developed technologies, 3D printing has increased in popularity and has been favored over others. Many different applications are currently attempting to utilize 3D printing techniques to enhance performance in an innovative approach to the field of construction. Applications of 3D printing in this field have been developed for new materials and methodologies to print structures directly. In this study, reinforcements, including rebars and fibers, are printed using a 3D printer to make high-performing FRCCs and RC (Reinforced Concrete). In particular, when making FRCCs, fibers are usually mixed with the cement-based matrix during the process. In this method, the distribution of fibers is impossible to control because of the random nature of the fibers’ positions. This study focuses on how fibers and reinforcement can be printed in a controlled manner. If the suggested new fiber and reinforcement printing process can be developed, mixing problems such as clumping, poor distribution, and difficulties during mixing will easily be solved with printed fibers and reinforcement using the SIFCON (Slurry Infiltrated Fiber Concrete) process.