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Printing Large-Size Eggshell-Shaped Elements with Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (2025-01)

From Material-Design to Structural Bearing-Capacity-Assessment

10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.139983

Dong Enlai, Yuan Hanquan,  Chen Yu, Jia Lutao, Xia Kailun,  Jia Zijian, Gong Yifan, Zhang Zedi, Wang Xianggang, Lin Qian,  Zhang Yamei
Journal Article - Construction and Building Materials, Vol. 462, No. 139983

Abstract

This paper introduced the development of 3D printed ultra-high-performance concrete (3DP-UHPC) eggshell-shaped elements based on bionics design. Firstly, the 3DP-UHPC eggshell-shaped element was designed using computer-aided design and finite element simulation. Then, the feasibility and reliability of fabricating large size elements using 3DP-UHPC without steel reinforcement were validated and assessed. The findings demonstrated that large size eggshell-shaped element printing without steel reinforcement could be successfully fabricated by using the optimized UHPC mixture. The designed 3DP-UHPC element was capable of withstanding loads under extreme weather conditions. Even under 4 kN/m2 load, its deflection was only 1/250 of the cantilever length. 3DP-UHPC structures offered superior advantages such as lighter weight, faster construction, and environmental friendliness, besides its excellent mechanical properties. Overall, it provided a reference for applications of 3DP-UHPC in non-linear and irregular structure.

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BibTeX 
@article{dong_yuan_chen_jia.2025.PLSESEwUHPC,
  author            = "Enlai Dong and Hanquan Yuan and Yu Chen and Lutao Jia and Kailun Xia and Zijian Jia and Yifan Gong and Zedi Zhang and Xianggang Wang and Qian Lin and Yamei Zhang",
  title             = "Printing Large-Size Eggshell-Shaped Elements with Ultra-High-Performance Concrete: From Material-Design to Structural Bearing-Capacity-Assessment",
  doi               = "10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.139983",
  year              = "2025",
  journal           = "Construction and Building Materials",
  volume            = "462",
  pages             = "139983",
}
Formatted Citation

E. Dong, “Printing Large-Size Eggshell-Shaped Elements with Ultra-High-Performance Concrete: From Material-Design to Structural Bearing-Capacity-Assessment”, Construction and Building Materials, vol. 462, p. 139983, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.139983.

Dong, Enlai, Hanquan Yuan, Yu Chen, Lutao Jia, Kailun Xia, Zijian Jia, Yifan Gong, et al.. “Printing Large-Size Eggshell-Shaped Elements with Ultra-High-Performance Concrete: From Material-Design to Structural Bearing-Capacity-Assessment”. Construction and Building Materials 462 (2025): 139983. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2025.139983.