Tough double-bouligand architected concrete enabled by robotic additive manufacturing.
biomechanical · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39209811.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-51640-y and PMC identifier 11362293.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Nature has developed numerous design motifs by arranging modest materials into complex architectures. The damage-tolerant, double-bouligand architecture found in the coelacanth fish scale is comprised of collagen fibrils helically arranged in a bilayer manner. Here, we exploit the toughening mechanisms of double-bouligand designs by engineering architected concrete using a large-scale two-component robotic additive manufacturing process. The process enables intricate fabrication of the architected concrete components at large-scale. The double-bouligand designs are benchmarked against bouligand and conventional rectilinear counterparts and monolithic casts. In contrast to cast concrete, double-bouligand design demonstrates a non-brittle response and a rising R-curve, due to a hypothesized bilayer crack shielding mechanism. In addition, interlocking behind and crack deflection ahead of the crack tip in bilayer double-bouligand architected concrete elicits a 63% increase in fracture toughness compared to cast counterparts.