Concrete 3D Printing with Engineered Cementitious Composites

[2017 – Present]

A major obstacle for real-world application of 3DP as a concrete construction method is the need for steel reinforcement and the challenges it presents to the 3DP process.  Self-reinforced “Engineered Cementitious Composites” (ECC/SHCC) have the potential to remove the dependence on conventional steel reinforcement for structural integrity, durability, reliability and robustness.  Steel reinforcement is a significant percentage of the embodied carbon in concrete construction, and simultaneously a source of long-term degradation due to corrosion. This project focuses on multiple aspects of 3DP ECC in construction, including the development of novel technologies for depositing the material (which has a much higher viscosity due to the reinforcing fibers) as well as the development of prototypical building components to showcase the technical capabilities.

The work was funded by the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, UM College of Engineering, and the AIA Upjohn Research Initiative.

[DECARBONIZATION]

Project collaborators include:

• Victor Li – University of Michigan, Civil & Environmental Engineering