ISSN: 2734-9438
Website: www.jomc.vn
Recent advances in 3D printing with waste sludge and recycled construction materials
Abstract
This paper reviews recent studies on extrusion-based 3D printing that use waste sludge and recycled construction materials in printable cementitious mixtures. The reviewed materials include construction and demolition waste, recycled fine aggregates, steel slag, alkali-activated slag, mining tailings, river-sediment sludge, recycled plastic particles, and waste-based geopolymer binders. These materials do not behave in the same way in printing systems. Recycled aggregates, for example, often increase yield stress and improve buildability, but high replacement levels can make extrusion less stable and may reduce mechanical performance. Slag-based binders and geopolymer systems can reduce Portland cement consumption, though their setting behavior and rheology still require careful control. Sludge-derived lightweight aggregates and recycled plastic particles have also been tested in printable mixtures, but their use often requires adjustments to grading, water demand, and binder content. Across the studies reviewed, the main difficulties remain rheology control, interlayer bonding, shrinkage, anisotropic mechanical properties, durability, and the lack of standardized testing methods. These findings suggest that waste-based materials can support more sustainable 3D printing in construction, but their practical use depends on careful mix design and better control of fresh-state behavior.
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