A Review of 3D Printable Construction Materials and Applications

• Main Authors: Tan, Ming Jen, Lu, Bing, Qian, Shun Zhi
• Other Authors: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: 3D printing; Construction material
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/84559; http://hdl.handle.net/10220/41815
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a technology using a layer-by-layer process to build three-dimensional objects. The developments of 3D printing in building and construction have seen great potentials during the recent years. Although this technology is still considered at its initial stage, its potential benefits such as quicker construction, low labor costs and less waste produced make it one of the most promising building technology in the future. This article surveys the researches and developments on 3D printable construction materials with corresponding 3D printing technologies to date. Fresh property requirements for 3D printable materials are discussed with the insights from sprayable and extrudable materials, followed by the discussion on hardened properties of structures printed with cementitious materials. The article also reviews various engineering applications of 3D printing recently emerged in building and construction sector. At last, the article hypothesizes the future developments of 3D printing for building and construction based on the reviews on plausible 3D printable materials and structural applications. The challenges from material and structural aspects are discussed in detail, followed by the potential applications of new functional materials. It is also possible to integrate the Building Information Modeling (BIM) and 3D printing in tomorrow’s building and construction field for greater construction productivity, and the article will point out the feasibility and potential advantages of this combination.