Structural fibre-reinforced cement-based composite designed for particle bed 3D printing systems. Case study Parque de Castilla Footbridge in Madrid

This paper presents the material and process-related research that underpinned the realisation of the Parque de Castilla Footbridge in Madrid in 2016, going from the laboratory to the industrial scale. The fibre-reinforced cement-based composite was first developed and tested in a small-scale particle bed printer focusing on evaluating the influence of the material and process on the mechanical response and density of the printed parts. The solution was then upscaled to a full-size particle bed printer that underwent technical modifications to ensure adequate control and production quality of the footbridge segments. The observations derived from the study provide valuable insights on relevant process-related differences induced by the technology upscaling that can inform future applications of the technology.