Internal Curing of 3D Printed Engineered Cementitious Composites: Paving the Way for Durable Infrastructure in the Southwest

Hojati, Maryam; Zafar, Tayyab

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Internal Curing of 3D Printed Engineered Cementitious Composites: Paving the Way for Durable Infrastructure in the Southwest

2025-01-15
By Hojati, Maryam ; Zafar, Tayyab

File Language:

English

Details

Creators:

Hojati, Maryam ; Zafar, Tayyab
Corporate Creators:

University of New Mexico
Corporate Contributors:

The Southern Plains Transportation Center (SPTC) Region 6 University Transportation Center (UTC) ; United States. Department of Transportation. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology
Subject/TRT Terms:

Cement Concrete Curing Engineered Materials Lightweight Aggregates Local Materials Mix Design Three Dimensional Printing
Publication/ Report Number:

CY1
Resource Type:

Tech Report
Geographical Coverage:

United States
Edition:

Final Report
Corporate Publisher:

The Southern Plains Transportation Center (SPTC) Region 6 University Transportation Center (UTC)
Abstract:

This study investigated the feasibility of internal curing using lightweight aggregates (LWA) for 3D-printed engineered cementitious composites (ECC) on a small scale to advance durable infrastructure construction for future transportation needs. River sand (RS) was partially replaced with 30% natural pumice (NM) for internal curing, while cement was replaced with 50% slag, which is a byproduct of steel production. Polyethylene (PE) fibers were incorporated at 2% by volume to improve mechanical performance. The lightweight aggregates were presoaked for 24 hours before mixing to evaluate their effects on extrudability, buildability, and mechanical properties. Two mixes, S50-CT (control) and S50-P30 (pumice-modified), were 3D-printed and cured under varying relative humidity conditions before testing at 28 days. Including slag, methylcellulose (MC), and PE fibers reduced extrudability but improved the mechanical performance of the printed specimens. S50-CT demonstrated higher buildability, while S50-P30 exhibited superior compressive and flexural strength, highlighting the effectiveness of internal curing mechanisms. These mechanisms ensured sustained hydration, improved microstructural integrity, and enhanced crack resistance, resulting in greater durability. This study underscores the potential of internal curing with LWA and novel 3D printing techniques to achieve high-performance ECC materials for future infrastructure applications.
Format:

PDF
Funding:

69A3552348306
Collection(s):

University Transportation Centers
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha-512:74008f5687dc89664e1c6c430cf27a15f25f1ae533599442a24eca662c93e5550aff91172daaab653ad6fc123fd942708cf77d70928b22a91a02ade14baa62cd
Download URL:

https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/88309/dot_88309_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 6.67 MB ]

File Language:

English

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