The Flexural Behavior of Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) One-Way 3D Printed Slabs Made of Solid and Hollow Sections (2025-06)¶

In light of the recent development and the reduction in the available natural resources, the interest in searching for sustainable and efficient construction resources has increased. Therefore, the method of 3D concrete printing takes place as a type of construction where forms are not required to shape the required structural element. In contrast, the 3D printing method suffers from a major deficiency related to the reinforcement method of the printed members where challenges exist in finding a practical and efficient method. Consequently, scientists work on the printed concrete properties where types of self-reinforced mixes were utilized such as the Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC). In addition, the production of lightweight sections is also a major concern which could be achieved using a combination of hollow and solid sections. This study adopts the method of nonlinear finite analysis to investigate the flexural performance of one-way ECC slabs composed of a combination of solid and hollow rectangular sections. Different overall slab thicknesses and solid-to-hollow section areas were examined in terms of the flexural performance measures, such as the ultimate load, deflection, serviceability limit, stiffness, toughness, and flexural strength. Mathematical relationships were introduced based on the slab depth and the hollow volume percentage with high correlation values.