Experimental Assessment of Durability in 3D Printed Cementitious Materials

Abstract The development of additive technologies in construction, particularly 3D printing of cement-based composites, places increased demands on verifying the long-term durability of the resulting material under real exposure conditions. The presented study focuses on the experimental evaluation of selected durability parameters of a cementitious composite designed for 3D printing, with particular attention paid to the effect of a setting accelerator and the presence of dispersed steel reinforcement. The performed tests included the assessment of surface resistance to water and chemical de-icing agents, freeze–thaw resistance, water absorption, depth of water penetration under pressure, and carbonation depth after long-term exposure to outdoor environmental conditions. The results reveal significant differences in durability performance depending on the mixture composition. The study also highlights the specific aspects of durability behaviour arising from the layered structure of the material produced by the 3D printing process.