Fire performance evaluation of 3D-Printed concrete walls: A combined full-scale and numerical modeling approach

3D concrete printing (3DCP) is now being adopted in construction projects worldwide, allowing many benefits from such automated construction. However, existing research has limited its durability evaluation to full-scale testing. Furthermore, the numerical simulation of the 3DCP method is a new research area in the fields of dynamic growth, and many practical questions still remain. This paper presents the findings of full-scale and numerical studies on the fire performance of different 3DCP walls configurations. The effects of the wall thickness, cross-sectional arrangements, and inner cavity area on the insulation fire rating under different fire scenarios were examined. Results indicate that all full-scale specimens tested satisfy the integrity criteria for 3-h exposure time. Non-load bearing 3DCP showed a better fire insulation performance, whereas 3DCP wall with increased total thickness had better fire resistance. Numerical modeling performed effectively predicts 3DCP wall performance.