Evaluation of Tensile Behaviour of 3D Printed Concrete Assemblies with Reinforcement

Inclusion of reinforcement to improve the tensile capacity of 3D printed concrete specimens has been gaining significance in recent times. Different types and procedures for introducing steel reinforcement in printing are currently under development. The present study involves understanding the influence of two different types of reinforcement on the tensile behaviour of 3D printed concrete. The different reinforcements considered were steel mesh and a 3 mm bar. The reinforcement was placed between printed layers in a beam-type assembly. The influence of the reinforcement in providing tensile stresses across a crack propagating across printed interfaces is evaluated from a fracture beam test. The crack bridging provided by the reinforcement is evaluated from the measured surface crack profiles obtained from fracture test. Mesh reinforcement showed a better bond behaviour when compared to the 3 mm bars. The factors which contribute to the tensile performance of reinforcement across a tensile crack are identified.