Geometric Conformability of 3D Concrete Printing Mixtures from a Rheological Perspective

The effectiveness of 3D concrete printing (3DCP) relies on understanding the rheological properties of cementitious materials and their time-dependent evolution. These materials exhibit shear-thinning viscosity, an elastic region, and both static and dynamic yield stress, which are challenging to balance in 3DCP. Layer deformation can be caused by factors such as self-weight, the weight of subsequently deposited layers, and the stress induced by the nozzle pressing. Starting at the level of a single filament, the final geometrical conformity of a 3D-printed object is the sum of individual filament conformities. Hence, the control of layer deformation during the printing process is critical. The failure of 3D-printed objects can occur due to two primary mechanisms: material failure, which occurs when the material’s strength is exceeded, resulting in fracture or uncontrolled deformation; and stability failure, where the object cannot retain equilibrium of forces. These mechanisms often interact; extensive deformations resulting from material failure can lead to stability loss, or conversely, stability loss generates local excessive stresses leading to material failure. The governing mechanism depends on various factors, including material and process characteristics, as well as the transient nature of material properties, print strategy, and object design. With this in mind, this research aimed to broaden the understanding of the connection between rheological material properties—primarily yield stress—and the geometric conformability of printed objects. Experimental tests were conducted on pastes using a rheometer, and correlated mortars, allowing for the evaluation of realistic extrusion properties.