Concrete Mixture Properties and Designs for Additive Manufacturing: A Review of 3D Concrete Printing

Three-dimensional (3D) concrete printing has emerged as a promising technology for revolutionizing construction practices, offering unparalleled flexibility and efficiency in building complex structures. However, the successful implementation of 3D concrete printing relies heavily on the development of appropriate mixture designs tailored to the unique requirements of additive manufacturing. This paper presents a comprehensive review of mixture properties critical for successful 3D concrete printing, including pumpability, extrudability, and constructability, and summarizes published concrete mixtures tailored for optimal 3D printing performance. Key aspects of the mixture designs include water-cement ratio, fly ash, silica fume, superplasticizers and viscosity-modifying agents, and fibrous additions. This paper serves as a valuable resource for researchers, engineers, and practitioners involved in 3D concrete printing, fostering continued innovation and refinement in mixture design methodologies to advance the adoption of this transformative construction technology.