CE 29900 – 3D Printed Materials: Customizing Concrete

Credits and contact hours:

  • 1 credit
  • Lecture that meets 1 time per week for 100 minutes per meeting for 8 weeks

Specific course information:

  • Catalog description: Projects, special topics, or supplemental instruction
  • Prerequisites: None
  • Course status: Technical Elective

Specific Goals for the course:

  • Student learning outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course the student shall be able to:
    • Understand and explain some of the basic principles and challenges related to 3D printing technology of cementitious materials, including the importance of rheology, shape holding capabilities and formulation of printable pastes.
    • Describe different types of printing methods and understand the relationship between the quality of printed elements and print parameters
    • Describe and understand the influence of the internal architecture of the printed elements on their response to loads
    • Apply basic concepts of ink formulation and printer control to creating cement paste elements with varying internal architectures and evaluating their mechanical properties.
  •  Relationship of course to program outcomes
    • Outcome 1: An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics
    • Outcome 2: an ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
    • Outcome 5; An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.

Topics:

  • COURSE INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF 3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY
    • General overview of 3D printing technology as applied to civil. Engr. Structures, Printing platforms and methods of 3D printing.
  • PRINCIPLES OF CREATING THE 3D MODELS
    • 3D modeling using the Autodesk Fusion
    • Demonstration of the slicer software
  • REVIEW OF TYPES OF MATERIALS USED FOR 3D PRINTING 3D PRINTING USING PLASTIC
    • 3D printing using plastic
  • FRESH PROPERTIES OF CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS AND PRINTABILITY
    • Rheology of cement paste
    • Basics of rheology of concrete and methods to control printability, setting and stability
  • INTERNAL ARCHITECTURE OF MICROSTRUCTURE OF PRINTED ELEMENTS
    • Printing of cement paste
    • Influence of architecture on properties of 3D printed materials
    • Printing of elements with Bouligand architecture
  • FABRICATION OPPORTUNITIES AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY
    • Tour/workshop –Bechtel Innovation Design Center (BIDC)
  • RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ON 3D PRINTING OF CONCRETE
    • Approaches and challenges associated with practical aspects of 3D printing of concrete