Experimental Investigation on Thermal Insulation of Sustainable 3D Printable Concrete by Using Corncob Powder

Abstract

The construction industry is witnessing the latest technology advancement in the form of 3D printing, which promises to revolutionize the sector by reducing costs, material wastage, and environmental impact. One significant approach to achieving these goals is through the incorporation of various supplementary cementitious materials. This research work aims to study the utilization of corn cob powder (organic waste from agricultural industries) as a thermal insulation material in conjunction with other cement supplementary materials (fly ash, and silica fume). The study focuses on evaluating the material’s rheological properties, such as slump, initial and final setting times, and flowability. Furthermore, the investigation extends to analyzing the hardened properties of the concrete, including compressive strength, split tensile strength, and flexural strength under varying temperature conditions. Results shown that the compressive, split tensile and flexural strength was increased up 5 % to 7% with the inclusion of corn cob powder at 5% and it exhibits good resistance to high temperatures.