New 3D-printed cement paste gets stronger when it cracks — just like structures in nature
What if the inherent weaknesses of a material actually made houses and buildings stronger during wildfires and earthquakes?
Purdue University researchers have 3D-printed cement paste, a key ingredient of the concrete and mortar used to build various elements of infrastructure, that gets tougher under pressure like the shells of arthropods such as lobsters and beetles. The technique could eventually contribute to more resilient structures during natural disasters.