Simulation of 3D Concrete Printing Using an Implicit Formulation of the Moving Particle Semi-Implicit Method (2024-12)¶

Additive construction techniques, such as 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP), offer significant advantages, including reduced material waste, optimized construction times, and the ability to create complex shapes. Despite advancements, predicting printing results remains challenging. Fresh material properties are crucial, making numerical modeling essential for investigating the dynamic aspects of the extrusion process. However, modeling 3DCP is challenging due to the complex rheological behavior of self-supporting concrete, which exhibits high yield stress and high apparent viscosity at low deformation rates. To address these challenges, the Moving Particle Semi-Implicit (MPS) method was adopted in the present study to model the flow. Conventional MPS has numerical restrictions with highly viscous fluids, requiring very small time steps and resulting in huge processing costs. This study uses an implicit algorithm allowing for larger time steps and reduced processing time. Simulations of non-Newtonian flow between parallel plates were validated using analytical solutions. 3DCP simulations described the flow of fresh mortar at different printing speeds and extrusion volumetric fluxes. The cross-sectional shapes of extruded layers compared with experimental data showed qualitative agreement, demonstrating the potential of the implicit MPS method for modeling 3DCP processes.