Use of Metakaolin as Alternative Supplementary Cementitious Materials in 3D Printing of Concrete

3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) could potentially increase the efficiency of construction projects and profitability. However, 3DCP typically mixes contain high volume of paste which implies high volume of binder. The expeditious development of 3DCP requires exploring other prospective and sustainable mixes besides the use of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) based mixes to meet the high-volume binder content requirement. The cement industry emits approximately 814-935 kg of carbon dioxide. As such, the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to meet the high binder dosage requirement in 3DCP is the use Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs). To respond to the relative scarcity and diminishing of traditional SCMs, the proposed project aims at synthesizing and optimization of locally available calcined clay (metakaolin) as an alternative SCM for 3DCP purposes. Success of this research will help in accelerating the widespread adoption of metakaolin and the resulting type of blended cement across Canada and elsewhere.

Faculty Supervisor:

Mohamed Bassuoni

Student:

Partner:

Whitemud Resources Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Mining

University:

University of Manitoba

Program: