Evaluation of 3D Concrete Printing Extrusion Efficiency

In recent years, three-dimensional concrete printing (3DCP) has garnered significant attention within the scientific community. The ongoing development and widespread adoption of this technology in the near future will be nearly inevitable. However, to ensure the safe and effective use of 3DCP in building construction, standardization of its processes is essential. A critical component of this standardization involves guaranteeing the repeatability of element production, regardless of variations in shape or material composition. Therefore, the present study focuses on analyzing factors that influence extrusion efficiency, incorporating measurements of material dispensing rates relative to input parameters. Based on the results, it was found that reducing the printer nozzle size from 20 mm to 12 mm significantly decreases the extrusion efficiency, resulting in a 15% reduction. The addition of polypropylene fibers to the concrete mixture has an even greater impact, reducing extrusion efficiency by up to 28%. On the other hand, changing the mixture’s flow from 150 mm to 130 mm had relatively minor effect, decreasing process efficiency by only 4.5%. To achieve consistent repeatability in the 3DCP process, introducing corrective factors adjusted for variations in input parameters appears to be a necessary step. The development and implementation of such adjustments will be a critical aspect of future research efforts aimed at optimizing 3D concrete printing technology.