Utilization of Waste Materials to Enhance the Composite Behavior between Cementitious Mortar and 3D-Printed Polymer Reinforcements Designed to be Applied for Construction 3D-Printing of Cementitious Materials

Polymer reinforcement with novel geometry achieved by 3D-printing was proposed as a new reinforcement system for 3D-printed mortar components, which consist of cement, water and silica sands, for buildings and infrastructures. This polymer reinforcement effectively enhanced the ductility of mortar specimens which was casted layer by layer to simulate a mortar 3D-printing process. However, the polymer reinforcement system reduced the mechanical strength of the mortar specimens. Waste materials, biochar and fly ash, were added to mortar not only to reduce the carbon footprint but also to find potential solutions for improving the mechanical behavior of the mortar-polymer composite because these waste materials can potentially densify the mortar-polymer interface which is essential for composite behavior between mortar and polymer. Experimental results showed that using biochar, a waste material made by sawdust, in mortar specimens can reduce the mechanical strength reduction induced by polymer reinforcement compared to the strength reduction observed in the mortar without waste material.