Bendable Concrete? UNM Engineers Develop Material for Construction 3D Printing

Concrete, construction 3D printing’s favorite material, is getting an upgrade thanks to research from the University of New Mexico (UNM). There, researchers patented a bendable concrete material design specifically formulated for 3D printing. This was not the only research project taking place in 2024 to optimize 3D printing concrete. In October, for instance, the University of Virginia made headlines for developing a 3D-printable concrete that reduced carbon emissions by 31 percent.

Concrete is strong and it handles compression well. But when it comes to tension, the material does not hold up. It is brittle, so it cracks and breaks easily. Even when reinforced with steel, it regularly requires ongoing repairs, whether used for buildings, bridges or sidewalks. A concrete with better tensile properties, like the one developed at UNM, could mean building stronger infrastructures that last longer and are less expensive to maintain. This could be especially meaningful in areas that are susceptible to natural disasters like earthquakes, which put lateral stress on buildings.

Samples of the bendable, 3D-printed concrete (Photo credit: UNM)

According to UNM’s release about the research, scientists worldwide have tried developing materials and processes that could resolve these issues. Some structures have been built partially with 3D printers, but so far, most processes require the placement of materials like beams or rebars, reducing the automation that 3D printing should offer. To print something without such support, the printing material has to be strong enough to support itself while being suitable for extrusion.