Title: Mechanical Response and Micro-CT Characterization of 3D Printed Cement Paste Elements with Controlled Architecture

Author(s): Jan Olek, Mohamadreza Moini, Pablo Zavattieri, Jeffrey Youngblood

Publication: Web Session

Volume: ws_F18_Olek.pdf

Issue:

Appears on pages(s):

Keywords:

DOI:

Date: 10/15/2018

Abstract:
There is an increasing interest in Additive Manufacturing (AM) of cement-based materials. However, the intrinsic brittle behavior of these material and the processing-induced interfaces represent major challenges. This work presents the role of the architecture of the materials by exploring bio-inspired design and heterogeneities induced by the interface as a mean of controlling and diversifying the mechanical response of brittle cement paste elements. Direct ink writing (DIW), an extrusion-based AM technique, was used to fabricate structural elements in a layer-by-layer deposition process. Optical microscopy and X-ray micro computed tomography (micro-CT) were used to characterize microstructural features, such as heterogeneity of the pore network in the intact and damaged elements. It was demonstrated that the directionality of the heterogeneous pore network, induced by DIW process, alters the properties and the mechanical response of “architectured materials” in terms of strength (in tension, flexure and compression), work of fracture, load-displacement, and fracture phenomena such as spread of the damage and micro-cracking advancement along the interfacial filament regions (IFR).