Implementation of Continuous Textile Fibers in 3D Printable Cementitious Composite

3D concrete printing (3DCP) as an automated and digital manufacturing process, enables the construction sector to build complex elements rapidly without formwork requirements. Integrating reinforcement in 3DCP is an imperative need in order to print large-scale structures. Although some research has been done to integrate traditional steel bars and a variety of fibers into 3DCP, the reinforcement challenge is not yet fully addressed. The use of textiles mesh structures, as a reinforcing strategy, has been recently introduced to address this challenge, but research on the subject is yet very limited. This paper focuses on integrating different 2D textile mesh reinforcements in concrete printing and evaluating the behavior of printed textile-reinforced concrete (TRC) as a composite material. After conducting the rheological study, small reinforced beams were prepared by both casting and printing methods to compare the bonding characteristics and the flexural properties of the manufactured elements. Two different textiles with distinct coating materials were produced and tested. According to the results, printed beam reinforced with alkaline resistant (AR) glass textile and coated with styrene-butadiene rubber, showed better performance during the 3-point bending test and higher bonding to concrete, compared to other printed specimens. In addition, although the flexural strength of the casted beam was considerably higher compared to the printed ones, printed samples, reinforced with AR glass textile and coated with styrene-butadiene rubber showed better ductility behavior. In the future, other types of textiles with different characteristics and geometries will be studied, and contributing factors to improve bonding will be investigated comprehensively.