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Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Large-Scale 3D Printing Utilizing Kaolinite-Based Calicium Sulfoaluminate Cement Concrete and Conventional Construction
Abstract
3D printing (3DP) is gaining importance as an alternative mode of construction with the aim to reduce the environmental impacts of the construction sector. This study quantitively investigates the environmental impacts of large-scale 3DP applied in the construction sector in comparison to conventional construction techniques. A cradle-to-gate (from raw material extraction to manufacturing) life cycle assessment (LCA) framework is utilized to quantify the potential environmental impacts of 3DP. The comparative LCA of large-scale 3DP and conventional construction is applied at material level, component level, and building level. The environmental impacts of the studied scenarios are calculated via ATHENA Impact Estimator for buildings, Gabi database and literature in terms of embodied energy (EE), global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), and eutrophication potential (EP). A novel concrete mix, kaolinite-based calcium sulfoaluminate cement concrete (KCSC), incorporates kaolin clay with varying wt. percentage (%) (0%, 5% and 10%) in structural elements to reduce the overall environmental impact of large-scale 3DP. The LCA analysis results show that replacing reinforced conventional masonry walls with reinforced solid-core 3D-printed KCSC walls reduces EE, GWP, and EP by ca.12%, 55%, and 4% per unit volume and by ca. 55%, 77%, and 53% per unit compressive strength, respectively of the wall panel. On the other hand, replacing reinforced conventional masonry walls with reinforced solid-core 3D-printed KCSC walls increases AP by ca. 30% per unit volume and reduces AP by ca. 37% per unit compressive strength of the wall panel. However, for unreinforced hollow-core 3D-printed walls, the environmental performance-based analysis reveals that the production of conventional walls induces greater environmental impacts than the hollow-core 3D-printed walls. The results show that RC buildings constructed with non-load bearing 3D-printed walls generate higher environmental impact in terms of EE, GWP, AP, and EP compared to their counterpart buildings constructed with drywalls.
Subject
Additive manufacturing3D-printed buildings
Environmental impact
Sustainable printable concrete
Sustainable construction
3D-printed walls
Citation
Abu-Ennab, Lena Baker Mohammad (2022). Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Large-Scale 3D Printing Utilizing Kaolinite-Based Calicium Sulfoaluminate Cement Concrete and Conventional Construction. Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /197792.