Influence of gradation on extrusion-based 3D printing concrete with coarse aggregate

Coarse aggregate is an indispensable component of concrete, the gradation of which plays an important role in the properties of concrete due to its effect on particle distribution. The extrusion-based 3D concrete printing (3DCP) has become a promising technology while the influence of coarse aggregate gradation on the material design and performance of 3D printed concrete still lack understanding. This study experimentally investigates the fresh and hardened properties of 3D printed concrete with 4.75-20 mm continuous and discontinuous grading coarse aggregates, including flowability, buildability, axial compression, and drying shrinkage. The results reveal that 3D printed concrete with continuous grading performs better on flowability retaining and multilayer structure stacking than that with discontinuous grading. The evaluation coefficient of aggregate particle size is proposed to characterize the average particle size of coarse aggregates with different gradations, which shows linear relationship with coarse aggregate 3D spacing in 3D printed concrete. The current axial compressive stress-strain model for the conventional concrete prediction curve is modified to predict the effect of coarse aggregate gradation on constitutive relationship of 3D printed concrete. The increasing proportion of large-sized coarse aggregates can lead to a reduction in long-term drying shrinkage of 3D printed concrete.