Experimentally Verified FE Model of Bending Reinforced 3D-Printed Concrete Elements (2025-12)¶

Refined methodology for numerical stress-strain analysis of 3D-printed concrete (3DPC) structures using ANSYS is presented. The model integrates a nonlocal microplane theory for concrete layers and a Cohesive Zone Model (CZM) for interlayer behavior. Material parameters were determined experimentally: concrete properties via uniaxial compression/tensile tests on cast samples, and interlayer properties via tangential splitting tests on unreinforced 3DPC. Four-point bending tests on reinforced 3DPC samples, loaded across and along layers, evaluated mechanical behavior and validated the model. The verified model predicted strength characteristics for 72 structural variants, differing in reinforcement (type, strength, area, percentage) and layer thickness. High convergence between numerical and experimental results was achieved, with deviations in ultimate and crack initiation stresses below 15%. Simulations accurately described stress distribution in bent elements, matching observed crack propagation and confirming pronounced anisotropic behavior dependent on loading direction relative to layers. This methodology provides a robust tool for virtual modeling, enabling reliable prediction of 3DPC structural response in CAE software.