Temperature dependance of 3D printed concrete produced with copper tailings

3D printed concrete is being applied in an increasing amount worldwide. While in theory, there are environmental and economic benefits associated with using this technology, in practice, the amount of cement in printable concrete is much higher than in a conventional one, leading to increased environmental and economic costs. Furthermore, cement's performance relies heavily on climate variables, specifically temperature. One way to solve this issue is to include local alternative low-CO₂ materials, such as processed mine tailings, as cement replacement. This paper presents an experimental approach to assess the use of copper tailings as cement replacement in printable concrete under different ambient temperatures. Three levels of cement volume replacement have been researched. The copper tailings' rheological effect has been measured using standard printability tests and a rheometer. Four mixtures have been printed in a controlled-climate chamber to evaluate print-ability, buildability and extrudability. The mechanical effect has been assessed with compressive and flexural strength tests of samples collected from the printed specimens. The results show that copper tailings are a promising alternative to cement in printable concrete in countries where this by-product is abundant.