Recently, 3D printing has become one of the most popular additive manufacturing technologies. This technology has been utilised to prototype trial and produced components for various applications, such as fashion, food, automotive, medical, and construction. In recent years, automation also has become increasingly prevalent in the construction field. Extrusion printing is the most successful method to print cementitious materials, but it still faces significant challenges, such as pumpability of materials, buildability, consistency in the materials, flowability, and workability. This paper investigates the properties of 3D printed fibre-reinforced cementitious mortar prisms and members in conjunction with automation to achieve the optimum mechanical strength of printed mortar and to obtain suitable flowability and consistent workability for the mixed cementitious mortar during the printing process. This study also considered the necessary trial tests, which are required to check the mechanical properties and behaviour of the proportions of the cementitious mix. Mechanical strength was measured and shown to increase when the samples were printed using fibre-reinforced mortar by means of a caulking gun, compared with the samples that were printed using the same mix delivered by a progressive cavity pump to a 6 degree-of-freedom robot. The flexural strength of the four-printed layer fibre-reinforced mortar was found to be 3.44 ± 0.11 MPa and 5.78 ± 0.02 MPa for the one-layer. Moreover, the mortar with different types of nozzles by means of caulking is printed and compared. Several experimental tests for the fresh state of the mortar were conducted and are discussed.

Light-weight Self-Compacting Concrete (LWSCC) might be the answer to the increasing construction requirements of slenderer and more heavily reinforced structural elements. However there are limited studies to prove its ability in real construction projects. In conjunction with the traditional methods, artificial intelligent based modeling methods have been applied to simulate the non-linear and complex behavior of concrete in the recent years. Twenty one laboratory experimental investigations on the mechanical properties of LWSCC; published in recent 12 years have been analyzed in this study. The collected information is used to investigate the relationship between compressive strength, elasticity modulus and splitting tensile strength in LWSCC. Analytically proposed model in ANFIS is verified by multi factor linear regression analysis. Comparing the estimated results, ANFIS analysis gives more compatible results and is preferred to estimate the properties of LWSCC.

There is no distinctive boundary in RC members when the short-term deflection ends and long term begins. Simplified procedures for predicting deflections in design codes are not compatible with actual deflection under service loads, especially in sensitive elements such as floor slabs. Design codes generally predict the time-dependent deflection by multiplying an empirical amplification factor by an instantaneous deflection. Despite the negligible difference in instantaneous and short-term deflection, the calculated value for long-term deflection that is due to decrease in stiffness overtime due to the inelastic deformation of concrete shrinkage and creep, is sometimes significantly less than the actual deflection. In this paper, simplified calculations for the ratio of long-term to short-term deflection in codes and some empirical works have been compared. Based on the comparison between simplified methods and data obtained from experimental investigations of Gilbert and Guo (2005), it is evident that the long-term/ short-term ratio is sometime significantly beyond the range of codes of practice.

The BlueDeck profiled steel sheeting system offers an innovative composite flooring solution, integrating high-strength steel sheets with reinforced concrete to form a unified structure. This study aimed to evaluate the development of full composite action, the ultimate bearing capacity, and the flexural stiffness of the system. A comprehensive experimental programme involving 18 four-point bending tests and 6 shear tests was conducted to quantify the mechanical interaction between the steel deck and concrete slab. This study specifically examined bending capacity and vertical deflection, comparing the results with predictions from AS/NZS 2327. It was found that the system consistently achieved full composite action, with composite specimens demonstrating higher flexural stiffness and load-bearing capacity as the concrete depth increased. For example, specimens with 200 mm slab depths exhibited a 60% improvement in ultimate capacity compared to those with 150 mm slabs, while those with 175 mm depths saw a 27% increase. Additionally, the BlueDeck system showed an 81% improvement in de-bonding resistance in thicker slabs. The experimental results exceeded the bending moment and deflection limits prescribed by AS/NZS 2327, confirming that the system is structurally sound for use in buildings. This study provides quantitative evidence supporting the system’s compliance with Australian standards, highlighting its potential for improving construction efficiency through reduced material use, while maintaining structural integrity under imposed loads.