Have a personal or library account? Click to login
Empowering 3D printed concrete: discovering the impact of steel fiber reinforcement on mechanical performance Cover

Empowering 3D printed concrete: discovering the impact of steel fiber reinforcement on mechanical performance

REVIEWS ON ADVANCED MATERIALS SCIENCE
Volume 64 (2025): Issue 1 (January 2025)
By: Zhongling Tong,  Qingtao Guan,  Ahmed A. Abdou Elabbasy,  Ali H. AlAteah,  Ahmed M. Maglad and  Mohammad Alharthai  
Open Access
|Dec 2025

Figures & Tables

Figure 1:

Effect of steel fiber content on flow diameter of 3DPCM [38], 39], 43], [47], [48], [49].
Effect of steel fiber content on flow diameter of 3DPCM [38], 39], 43], [47], [48], [49].

Figure 2:

Effect of steel fiber content on static yield stress of 3DPCM as reported by (a) Jia, Zhou [40]; (b) Xia, Geng [38].
Effect of steel fiber content on static yield stress of 3DPCM as reported by (a) Jia, Zhou [40]; (b) Xia, Geng [38].

Figure 3:

Effect of fibers on yield stress buildup of 3DPCM with rest time [49].
Effect of fibers on yield stress buildup of 3DPCM with rest time [49].

Figure 4:

Dynamic yield stress versus varying fiber content [38], 39], 43], 49].
Dynamic yield stress versus varying fiber content [38], 39], 43], 49].

Figure 5:

Effect of steel fiber content on width of printed filament [53].
Effect of steel fiber content on width of printed filament [53].

Figure 6:

Extrudability of 50 cm long filament with different types of fibers [38].
Extrudability of 50 cm long filament with different types of fibers [38].

Figure 7:

Effect of steel fibers on bottom layer deformation (a) sand/binder = 1.4 (b) sand/binder = 1.8 [37].
Effect of steel fibers on bottom layer deformation (a) sand/binder = 1.4 (b) sand/binder = 1.8 [37].

Figure 8:

Effect of steel fiber length on printability of 3DPCM [36].
Effect of steel fiber length on printability of 3DPCM [36].

Figure 9:

Loading directions for compressive testing defined in this review study.
Loading directions for compressive testing defined in this review study.

Figure 10:

Effect of steel fiber content on compressive strength in X direction [21], 33], 34], 36], 38], 40], 41], 47], 55], 56].
Effect of steel fiber content on compressive strength in X direction [21], 33], 34], 36], 38], 40], 41], 47], 55], 56].

Figure 11:

Effect of steel fiber content on compressive strength in Y direction [21], 33], 34], 36], 38], 40], 41], 55], 56].
Effect of steel fiber content on compressive strength in Y direction [21], 33], 34], 36], 38], 40], 41], 55], 56].

Figure 12:

Effect of steel fiber content on compressive strength in Z direction [21], [33], [34], [35], [36], [37], [38], [39], [40], [41, 47], 55], 56].
Effect of steel fiber content on compressive strength in Z direction [21], [33], [34], [35], [36], [37], [38], [39], [40], [41, 47], 55], 56].

Figure 13:

Percentage improvement in compressive strength and optimum fiber content [21], [33], [34], [35], [36], [37], [38], [39], [40], [41, 47], 55], 56].
Percentage improvement in compressive strength and optimum fiber content [21], [33], [34], [35], [36], [37], [38], [39], [40], [41, 47], 55], 56].

Figure 14:

Effect of steel fiber content on flexural strength of 3DPCM [21], [34], [35], [36], [37], [38, 41], [55], [56], [57].
Effect of steel fiber content on flexural strength of 3DPCM [21], [34], [35], [36], [37], [38, 41], [55], [56], [57].

Figure 15:

Percentage improvement in compressive strength and optimum fiber content [21], [34], [35], [36], [37], [38, 41], [55], [56], [57].
Percentage improvement in compressive strength and optimum fiber content [21], [34], [35], [36], [37], [38, 41], [55], [56], [57].

Figure 16:

Effect of steel fibers on post-crack performance of 3DPCM (a) without fibers; (b) with 0.5 % steel fibers; (c) 1.0 % steel fibers; (d) 2.0 % steel fibers [47].
Effect of steel fibers on post-crack performance of 3DPCM (a) without fibers; (b) with 0.5 % steel fibers; (c) 1.0 % steel fibers; (d) 2.0 % steel fibers [47].

Figure 17:

Comparison of post-crack behavior of 3d printed matrix (without steel fibers) and composite (with steel fibers) [54].
Comparison of post-crack behavior of 3d printed matrix (without steel fibers) and composite (with steel fibers) [54].

Figure 18:

Morphology of steel fiber-matrix ITZ: (a) Mold cast with hooked fibers; (b) 3DPC with hooked fibers; (c) mold cast with straight fibers (d) 3DPC with hooked fibers [40].
Morphology of steel fiber-matrix ITZ: (a) Mold cast with hooked fibers; (b) 3DPC with hooked fibers; (c) mold cast with straight fibers (d) 3DPC with hooked fibers [40].

Figure 19:

Fiber-matrix ITZ with mineral modifier in 3DPCM [58].
Fiber-matrix ITZ with mineral modifier in 3DPCM [58].

Figure 20:

Micromorphology of fiber-3DPCM matrix ITZ after failure: (a) Pullout of steel fibers; (b) rupture of basalt fibers [38].
Micromorphology of fiber-3DPCM matrix ITZ after failure: (a) Pullout of steel fibers; (b) rupture of basalt fibers [38].

Figure 21:

Alignment tendency of steel fibers along print direction: a) Schematic of fiber alignment during extrusion; b) CT scan of mold cast sample; c) CT scan of ed printed sample [59].
Alignment tendency of steel fibers along print direction: a) Schematic of fiber alignment during extrusion; b) CT scan of mold cast sample; c) CT scan of ed printed sample [59].

Figure 22:

Steel fibers arranged in a rectangular infill pattern proposed by Li, Khieu [16].
Steel fibers arranged in a rectangular infill pattern proposed by Li, Khieu [16].

Figure 23:

Fiber alignment under varying magnetic field intensities [41].
Fiber alignment under varying magnetic field intensities [41].

Figure 24:

Summary of steel fibers advantages in 3DPCM.
Summary of steel fibers advantages in 3DPCM.

Summary of steel fiber effects on printability parameters_

Fiber content (vol%)Extrudability parameterBuildability parameterEffect on extrudabilityEffect on buildabilityOptimum fiber dosageRef.
0.5–2.5 %300 mm long filament with consistent width (40 mm) Positive 2 %Li, Wei and Khayat [53]
0.5–2.5 %–Shape retention rate (%)–Positive2 %Zhang, Zhu [47]
0.5–2 %–Bottom layer deformation–Negative–Giwa, Game [37]
0.1–0.9 %50 cm long filament with consistent width (20 mm)Height loss rate (%)PositivePositive–Xia, Geng [38]
2 %250 mm long filament with consistent widthShape retention ability indexPositivePositive2 %Arunothayan, Nematollahi [54]
0.5–1.5 %300 mm long filament with consistent width (40 mm)Height of 8 layersPositivePositive1 %Jia, Zhou [40]

Mix proportions used for steel fiber reinforced 3DPCM_

Binder content (kg/m3)Aggregate (kg/m3)Aggregate/binderSteel fibers content kg/m3 (vol%)Fiber length (mm)Water kg/m3 SPa kg/m3 (%)VMb kg/m3 (%)Ref.
OPCSCM
7503301,080178 (1)6, 10154101.08[33]
4835901,074158.9 (0.75)6182––[34]
802–818–1,122–1,1451.477-153 (0–2)13280–286(0.018-0.130)–[35]
746–76075–761,148–1,1771.477-153 (1–2)13261–266(0.16–0.32)–
7503301,080119.5–78 (0.25–1.00)6, 10154101.08[36]
798–818–1,117–1,1451.439-190 (0.5–2.5)13279–286(0.02–0.22)–[37]
712–726–1,281–1,3061.839-153 (0.5–2.0)13249–254(0.09–0.27)–
725751,0001(0.1–0.9)6, 9, 122606 (0.06)–[38]
6942311,1801.3(1.5–3.0)35192(1.5)(0.25–0.50)[39]
8435901,0740.7519.6–78.5 (0.25–1.00)3, 618210.7 (1)–[21]
6302709001(0.5–1.5)131805.94–[40]
2,000–20001(0.25–0.75)2544010(0.25)[41]
7582001,0271.07(0.5)13230––[42]
7882001,1001.178-234 (1–3)3.3–17.8138–17710(0.5–2.0)[43]
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/rams-2025-0181 | Journal eISSN: 1605-8127
Journal RSS Feed
Language: English
Submitted on: Sep 25, 2025
Accepted on: Nov 8, 2025
Published on: Dec 11, 2025
Published by: Sciendo
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Keywords:
3D concrete printing,
steel fibers,
mechanical properties,
printability and buildability
Related subjects:
Chemistry,
Chemistry, other,
Engineering,
Introductions and overviews,
Engineering, other,
Materials sciences,
Porous materials,
Physics,
Physics, other

© 2025 Zhongling Tong, Qingtao Guan, Ahmed A. Abdou Elabbasy, Ali H. AlAteah, Ahmed M. Maglad, Mohammad Alharthai, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Previous articleVolume 64 (2025): Issue 1 (January 2025)Next article