Experimental evaluation of mechanical strength of silica fume-cemented sand reinforced with 3D-printed fibers

3D printing has revolutionized building design and construction with rapid, cost-effective production of complex designs approaches. Cementitious materials have low mechanical properties and ductility, and may not be an ideal choice for a sustainable design. One of the useful methods to improve the behavior of cementitious materials is using fiber reinforcement. The current study aims to investigate the potential use of 3D-printed fibers for reinforcing silica fume-cemented sand. For this purpose, the mechanical and microstructural properties as well as the fracture mechanism of silica fume-cemented sand reinforced with 3D-printed fibers made from Polylactic Acid plus (PLA+) materials have been investigated. Four different fiber geometries—straight, enlarged-end, intended, and hooked-end—as well as four different percentages of 3D-printed fibers—0, 0.3, 0.6, and 1 % by weight of dry sand—were taken into consideration. All types of 3D-printed fibers were able to change the brittle behavior of silica fume-cemented sand to a more ductile one. The findings of microstructural analyses were also in line with the outcomes of the mechanical experiments. This study's experimental validation showed that the mechanical characteristics of silica fume-cemented sand reinforced with 3D-printed fibers were improved.