Two Year Exposure of 3D Printed Cementitious Columns in a High Alpine Environment

While digital fabrication technologies with concrete have focused primarily on process development and compressive strength in terms of performance, more recently studies evaluating the durability performance of 3D printed cementitious materials have started to appear. To date, however, no field performance assessments have been published regarding 3D printed cementitious materials. In this study, we present the condition of bespoke 3D printed columns that have been exposed to the high alpine environment of Riom-Parsonz, Switzerland, for a period of two years. Damage levels are variable from column to column, often appearing as vertically oriented cracks that can also track along weak layer interfaces. The damage is conjectured to be linked primarily to freeze-thaw damage and/or thermal or differential shrinkage strains. The link between column design and damage is discussed in depth, in particular as it relates to the current predominant use case of 3D printed cementitious materials as a lost formwork. ISSN:2211-0844