Understanding and modeling the plastic deformation of 3D printed concrete based on viscoelastic creep behavior

3D printing concrete (3DPC) is susceptible to plastic deformation, for example, plastic shrinkage and plastic settlement, due to the absence of formwork. Monitoring and determining plastic deformation of 3DPC in large-scale construction remains challenging. In this study, we developed an analytical modeling method for predicting plastic deformation based on the creep behavior of 3DPC. A new creep model with high fitting accuracy was proposed for capturing creep characteristics over different resting time and applied stress level. Feasible acquisition of model parameters was achieved by correlating creep test results with UUCT (unconfined uniaxial compressive test) results. A multi-parameter modeling procedure based on superposition principle was then developed, and further validated by experimental results. This research may contribute to a better understanding and assessment of the plastic deformation of 3DPC in digital construction.