3D Concrete Printing of Pedestrian Arch Bridges
Open Access
- Author:
- Scheidler, Justin
- Area of Honors:
- Civil Engineering
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Ali M Memari, Thesis Supervisor
Sukran Ilgin Guler, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- 3DCP
3D Concrete Printing
Bridge
Arch Bridge
Printing
Concrete
Concrete Printing Process
Carbon Emissions
3DCP Mix Design
3D Concrete Printing Mix Design
Optimize
Optimization - Abstract:
- Today, 11% of the global carbon emissions are associated with the materials and construction processes of structures. For purposes of construction, 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) was proposed to help mitigate these carbon emissions significantly. Carbon emissions of construction is directly related to the amount of concrete used and the material used to create a viable concrete mix design. This document aims to determine the mix design necessary for a 3DCP pedestrian arch bridge, a possible design method to use, and how carbon emissions are affected by employing 3DCP. It is expected that the use of a supplementary cementitious material will replace Portland Cement, a new method of design will be used for 3DCP purposes, and that 3DCP related carbon emissions will be significantly lower than normal cast-in-place methods. Within the 11% of carbon emissions related to materials and construction is the concrete and cement industry. About 10% of the 11% is related to the concrete and cement industry, with 8% coming from Portland cement alone. Researched supplementary cementitious materials include: Alkali-Activated Metakaolin, Fly Ash, Slag, and Silica Fume. Out of the four, Alkali-Activated Metakaolin, Fly Ash, and Silica Fume were selected. A new method of design called the SMART Method, a fatigue analysis method of design, was determined to be the best candidate for the design of 3DCP structures since 3DCP and masonry structures are built similarly. Finally, it was discovered that a 44% decrease in carbon emissions was achieved using 3DCP rather than a normal cast-in-place method. To summarize, the use of 3DCP will have significant environmental benefits, saves material, use supplementary cementitious materials, and will soon be a recognized construction method for concrete structures.