Filament stitching: An architected printing strategy to mitigate anisotropy in 3D-Printed engineered cementitious composites (ECC)

Anisotropy in 3D-printed concrete structures has persistently raised concerns regarding structural integrity and safety. In this study, an architected 3D printing strategy, “stitching”, was proposed to mitigate anisotropy in 3D-printed Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC). This approach integrates the direction-dependent tensile resistance of extruded ECC, the mechanical interlocking between three-dimensional layers, and a deliberately engineered interwoven interface system. As a result, the out-of-plane direction of the printed structure can be self-reinforced without external reinforcements. Four-point bending tests demonstrated that the “stitching” pattern induced multi-cracking and flexural-hardening behavior in the out-of-plane direction, boosting its energy dissipation to 343 % of the reference “parallel” printing and achieving 48.6 % of cast ECC. Additionally, micro-CT scanning and acoustic emission tests further validated the controlled crack propagation enabled by the engineered interface architecture. The proposed strategy has been proven to substantially alleviate anisotropy and enhance structural integrity. • A pioneering architected 3D printing strategy, “stitching”, was proposed for homogenizing structural performance. • Flexural hardening was achieved in the out-of-plane direction of the “stitched” structure. • “Stitched” ECC dissipated 343 % more energy than parallel printing when bent in the weakest direction. • The proposed strategy can deliver tunable and customizable performance through architected designs.