A new scientific publication from the TRANSITION project has been published in the Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing.
The article, “High-Volume Cement Replacement with Oil Shale Ash and Metakaolin in Pre-Blended Compositions for 3D Printing,” presents the development of a low-carbon cementitious material for 3D concrete printing, in which 40% of Portland cement is replaced with oil shale ash and metakaolin.
The study focuses on transferring laboratory-developed compositions into industrially manufactured, ready-to-use dry mixtures produced by project partner SAKRET Latvia. The developed material was evaluated for printability, mechanical strength and durability, including resistance to freeze–thaw cycles.
The results demonstrate that the new composition maintains printability comparable to conventional cement-based mixtures, while achieving excellent mechanical performance. After 90 days, the cast specimens reached a compressive strength of 60.6 MPa, exceeding the reference mixture (55.3 MPa). The material also demonstrated good freeze–thaw resistance, confirming its potential for outdoor applications.
These findings represent an important step towards the practical implementation of lower-carbon materials in 3D concrete printing, combining reduced cement consumption with industrial production feasibility and reliable performance.
Previous TRANSITION publications
The new article builds on earlier research conducted within the TRANSITION project:
- Collision Milling of Oil Shale Ash as Constituent Pretreatment in Concrete 3D Printing (Infrastructures, 2025). The study investigated different oil shale ash sources and the potential of mechanical pretreatment to improve their suitability for 3D-printable concrete.Read publication
- Effect of Chemical and Physico-Chemical Activation on the Properties of 3D Printed Concrete with a Low-Cement Multicomponent Binder (Journal of Building Engineering, 2026). The study investigated activation methods for improving 3D-printable concrete compositions containing very low quantities of Portland cement.Read publication
Together, these publications demonstrate the progress of the TRANSITION project in developing and validating alternative cementitious materials for more sustainable 3D concrete printing.
