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Mechanical Performance and Life-Cycle Carbon Reduction Benefits of 3D-Printed Permanent-Formwork Columns Filled with Low-Magnesia Concrete (2026-02)

10.1016/j.cscm.2026.e05936

 Ding Shengxuan,  Li Jiren,  Wang Mingqiang
Journal Article - Case Studies in Construction Materials, No. e05936

Abstract

To improve the industrialization and low-carbon potential of reinforced concrete construction, this study proposes a short-column system consisting of a 3D-printed concrete shell as permanent formwork and a cast-in-place lean-magnesia-ore aggregate concrete infill. Axial compression tests were conducted on six shell–infilled short columns together with companion cast-in-place columns, with damage evolution monitored by acoustic emission (AE) and digital image correlation (DIC). A three-dimensional mesoscale finite element model was developed to account for pore-induced heterogeneity and interlayer weakening, and was used to interpret the observed failure process.Results show that the 3D-printed shell provides effective confinement and improves the axial capacity of the composite columns; the strength enhancement ranges from approximately 3.6% to 22.7% depending on cross-sectional shape and size, and circular specimens exhibit higher strength and a smoother post-peak response than square ones under comparable conditions. AE–DIC observations indicate progressive damage characterized by distributed cracking; tensile-type AE events dominate, while a limited fraction of shear-like/high-RA events may be associated with interfacial friction and local crushing effects. The mesoscale model satisfactorily reproduces the measured load–displacement response and crack evolution trends, supporting its use for mechanism interpretation. A cradle-to-gate life-cycle assessment suggests that the proposed system can substantially shorten construction time and reduce direct cost for the typical member considered, whereas the difference in embodied carbon is modest (~2.3%) and scenario-dependent under the adopted boundary and assumptions. Overall, the study provides experimental evidence and modeling support for 3D-printed permanent-formwork columns toward faster and potentially lower-impact construction

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0 Citations

BibTeX 
@article{ding_li_wang.2026.MPaLCCRBo3PPFCFwLMC,
  author            = "Shengxuan Ding and Jiren Li and Mingqiang Wang",
  title             = "Mechanical Performance and Life-Cycle Carbon Reduction Benefits of 3D-Printed Permanent-Formwork Columns Filled with Low-Magnesia Concrete",
  doi               = "10.1016/j.cscm.2026.e05936",
  year              = "2026",
  journal           = "Case Studies in Construction Materials",
  pages             = "e05936",
}
Formatted Citation

S. Ding, J. Li and M. Wang, “Mechanical Performance and Life-Cycle Carbon Reduction Benefits of 3D-Printed Permanent-Formwork Columns Filled with Low-Magnesia Concrete”, Case Studies in Construction Materials, p. e05936, 2026, doi: 10.1016/j.cscm.2026.e05936.

Ding, Shengxuan, Jiren Li, and Mingqiang Wang. “Mechanical Performance and Life-Cycle Carbon Reduction Benefits of 3D-Printed Permanent-Formwork Columns Filled with Low-Magnesia Concrete”. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 2026, e05936. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2026.e05936.