Fire performance of innovative 3D printed concrete composite wall panels – A Numerical Study

Abstract

The 3-Dimensional (3D) printing technology in the construction sector has seen an accelerating growth owing to its potential advantages. For this layer-based construction, a detailed investigation on fire performance is necessary. However, there are limited research studies for 3D Printed Concrete (3DPC) walls exposed to fire. Therefore, this paper investigates the fire performance of different types of 3D printed concrete walls using validated Finite Element Models (FEMs). Validated heat transfer FEMs were extended to investigate the fire performance of a range of 3DPC wall configurations (solid, cavity, and composite) under standard fire conditions. The results show that 3DPC non-load bearing cavity walls underperform when subjected to standard fire compared to solid 3DPC walls. The novel composite 3DPC walls with the use of Rockwool as cavity insulation offers superior fire resistance.

Keywords

• 3D printed concrete composite wall panels
• Fire performance
• Finite element modelling
• Insulation fire rating