Testing Mortars for 3D Printing: Correlation with Rheological Behavior

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Civil Engineering
• Construction Technology

Background:

• Three-dimensionally printed concrete offers solutions for housing shortages and architectural innovation.
• Assessing the material quality and printability of 3D-printed concrete is crucial for its widespread adoption.
• Traditional testing methods may not fully capture the complex rheological behavior of 3D-printed concrete.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between conventional testing methods and the rheological properties of 3D-printed concrete.
• To propose a more precise material quality assessment using traditional techniques.
• To establish a link between empirical testing and rheometer measurements for evaluating printability.

Main Methods:

• Standard tests were conducted to evaluate the consistency of 3D-printed concrete materials.
• A rheometer was used to accurately measure key rheological properties, including yield stress and viscosity.
• The flow table test was employed and its results were correlated with rheological parameters.

Main Results:

• A significant correlation was identified between the flow table test and rheological coefficients like yield stress and viscosity.
• The flow table test proved effective for a preliminary assessment of 3D-printed concrete's printability.
• The study successfully established a relationship between flow table tests and rheological parameters.

Conclusions:

• The flow table test can serve as a practical tool for preliminary printability assessment of 3D-printed concrete.
• Establishing correlations between conventional and rheometer tests simplifies material evaluation.
• Further research with diverse materials and print-test experiments is needed to refine these correlations.