The University of New Mexico (UNM) engineers have developed and patented a ground-breaking 3D printable bendable concrete. This innovative material eliminates the need for traditional steel reinforcement while offering enhanced structural properties.
A research team from the Gerald May Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering created this self-reinforced ultra-ductile cementitious material to address the limitations of conventional concrete in construction and infrastructure projects.
3D Printable Bendable Concrete
The newly patented material tackles concrete's inherent brittleness without compromising its compressive strength. Dr Maryam Hojati, assistant professor at UNM's Gerald May Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, spearheaded this development.
"Concrete by itself does not show any tensile properties. If you have a piece of concrete and start pulling it apart, it can easily break. It's a very brittle material," explains Dr Hojati.
The research team achieved success through precise material composition, incorporating polyvinyl alcohol, fly ash, silica fume, and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibres. Their patented mixture demonstrates up to 11.9% higher strain capacity than traditional concrete.
Muhammad Saeed Zafar, who completed his PhD in summer 2024, developed the material as part of his doctoral research. The team conducted extensive testing using various shapes and designs, including small structures, prisms, and dog bones, to validate the material's performance.
3D Printing Applications and Future Impact
The Transportation Consortium of South-Central States funded this development through three research phases: material development, property evaluation, and eco-concrete formulation. UNM Rainforest Innovations secured the patent in August 2024.
This innovation addresses critical infrastructure challenges, potentially reducing maintenance costs and improving resistance to natural disasters. NASA and other space agencies have shown interest in the technology for potential extraterrestrial construction applications.
"Because of the incorporation of large quantities of short polymeric fibres in this material, it could hold all of the concrete together when subjected to any bending or tension load," Dr Hojati notes, highlighting the material's potential for minimising external reinforcement in printed structures.
