Time-dependent fresh properties characterization of 3D printing engineered cementitious composites (3DP-ECC): On the evaluation of buildability

Failure of the structure due to poor buildability is a major concern in 3D printing of cementitious materials. Evaluation of buildability based on fresh material properties and print parameters is of significance. In this paper, the buildability of printable engineered cementitious composites was investigated and quantified at the material and the structural scale. Fresh ECC material showed excellent load capacity and deformation resistance at the material scale, therefore preventing material failure of the bottom layers, as confirmed by constant shear rate tests and incremental loading tests. To predict vertical deformation of a 3DP structure, a time-dependent strain-stress model of printable ECC was proposed and validated based on the green strength evolution of the material and the buildup rate of the designed structure. At the structural scale, the approach of predicting critical height at self-buckling failure based on stiffness evolution was validated by printing a straight wall and a cylinder structure.