Magneto-rheology control in 3D concrete printing: A rheological attempt

The application of magneto-rheology control in extrusion-based 3D concrete printing is conceptually examined by rheological experiments on cementitious paste with nano-Fe3O4. The extruding process is simulated by a constant shearing, and the buildability after extrusion is characterized by the structural build-up from small amplitude oscillatory time-sweep test. A pulsed magnetic field is applied during shearing and then removed when the shearing terminates. It is revealed that some residual magnetic clusters exist in the suspension after removing the magnetic field due to the remanent magnetization of the nanoparticles. This results in a faster structural build-up compared to the situation without being treated by magnetic field, and this is independent of the magnetic field duration within the considered range from 1 s to 5 s. This finding offers an innovative methodology to actively improve the buildability of 3D printed concrete by introducing a short-pulsed magnetic field during extrusion.

Automated summary

The study analyzed the application of magneto-rheology control in extrusion-based 3D concrete printing through rheological experiments, showing that introducing a short-pulsed magnetic field during extrusion can significantly improve the buildability of the concrete.