Flexural Performance of Glass Fiber Textile Reinforced 3D Printed Concrete (2025-05)¶

3D printing construction technology facilitates the realization of complex geometries through rapid production and design freedom; however, challenges in integrating conventional steel reinforcement within the additive manufacturing process impose significant structural limitations on the reinforcement of 3D-printed concrete structures. This study proposes glass fibre-reinforced textile as a solution to these limitations of 3D printed concrete. Glass fibre-reinforced textile stands out as a reinforcement material suitable for additive manufacturing with its lightweight structure, high tensile strength, and flexibility. A 3D printable mixture was specifically designed to achieve optimal rheological properties and printability. Then, using a Delta WASP 3DMT concrete printer, beam-shaped samples consisting of six layers were produced; glass fibre-reinforced textiles were placed on horizontal interfaces. The reinforced and unreinforced specimens were subjected to flexural and compressive strength tests after a 28-day curing period. Experimental results showed that glass fiber textiles significantly enhanced flexural strength and ductility. While the compressive strength of the textile-reinforced specimens remained largely unchanged compared to the control, their flexural strength improved remarkably, increasing by more than 50%. The study's findings reveal that 3D printed concretes reinforced with glass textiles enable the creation of more reliable structures with increased strength and ductility; thus, 3D printing technology may have a wider application area in the construction industry.