Digital Concrete Construction by Means of Additive Processes (2021-09)¶

Digital fabrication with concrete (DFB) is a very dynamically developing field; remarkable progress has been made in the last five years in particular. The variety of approaches used and the associated opportunities and challenges are overwhelming. This article provides a critical overview of the current state of the art in this field of DFB, with a focus on additive manufacturing processes with concrete (also known as 3D concrete printing) and formulates the existing need for research. In addition to a reflection on the international status of the development of 3D concrete printing processes, a classification framework for DFB processes is presented and the most important terms are defined. The authors then deal with the associated material testing of printable or printed fresh, hardening and hardened concrete. Another focus is the description of suitable reinforcement types and the classification of technological solutions for the integration of reinforcement in DFB processes. Finally, the special features of the design and dimensioning of additively manufactured components are presented and discussed