Members of the SICon research group have published an article in the Journal of Building Engineering
The paper, entitled “Evaluation of materials and additives on the printability and buildability of 3D-printed cementitious mortars”, was published in 2025 and investigates the effects of fine materials and chemical admixtures on the additive manufacturing of cementitious mortars. The research introduced measurable printability criteria using the HRDS method and evaluated different proportions of cement, filler, sand, and water to understand how these parameters influence the fluidity and stability of printed layers. The results showed that water and sand content directly affect printability and buildability, while statistical analysis identified the optimal combination of admixtures — 0.67% consistency modifier and 0.28% air-entraining agent — capable of producing eight layers with suitable printing performance. This study represents a significant step toward the development of optimized and more efficient mixtures for 3D printing in civil construction, contributing to the advancement of this technology in the field.
The authors are affiliated with research programs at universities in Viçosa and Campos dos Goytacazes:
Pedro Henrique Cota Drumond
Lívia Batista Soares
João Vitor Fioresi Altoé
Camila Spagnol Altoé
Paloma Renata Parassen
Victor Moreno Lima
José Carlos Lopes Ribeiro
José Maria Franco de Carvalho
Diôgo Silva de OliveiraThe full abstract and additional information about the article are available at:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2025.114377