Assessment of the Suitability of Carbon Long Fibers as Reinforcement for Additively Manufactured Components

Advances in concrete 3D printing enable the efficient production of complex concrete structures without the need for formwork. On this basis, the optimization of the use of resources in construction can be followed through thin-walled cross-section constructions. A key research area is the integration of reinforcement elements in 3D printed concrete members, as conventional methods are often unsuitable. Future potentials in automation of prefabrication of structural concrete elements are discussed. Carbon fibers, due to their non-corrosive properties and flexibility, are promising alternatives to steel reinforcement. This paper examines the suitability of carbon fibers for reinforcing additively manufactured concrete components. Preliminary tests explored the production of fiber-reinforced specimens and the insertion process of the fibers. The focus is on material testing to assess the composite behavior of carbon fiber rovings, comparing fracture behavior and failure modes of fiber-reinforced specimens with reference 3D printed specimens. As part of the test series, variants of the anchoring of carbon fibers were investigated in order to achieve better composite properties.