Systematic Literature Review of the Evaluation of the Thermal Conductivity of 3D Concrete Printed Building Elements.

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Title: Systematic Literature Review of the Evaluation of the Thermal Conductivity of 3D Concrete Printed Building Elements.
Authors: Ur Rehman Bajwa, Asad1 (AUTHOR) asadae67@gmail.com, Samarasinghe, Don Amila Sajeevan2 (AUTHOR), Flemmer, Claire2 (AUTHOR), Bao, Ding Wen3 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Architectural Engineering. Jun2026, Vol. 32 Issue 2, p1-19. 19p.
Subjects: Thermal conductivity, Anisotropy, Architectural details, Thermal properties, Concrete additives, Measurement, Thermal insulation
Abstract: Three-dimensional (3D) concrete printing technology has attracted widespread attention in the building and construction industry. Research studies have shown this technology's high-speed construction, waste minimization, and design freedom capabilities. However, an accurate and reliable experimental analysis of the thermal behavior of the 3D concrete printed (3DCP) building elements remains poorly understood. Specifically, research works on thermal conductivity and its dependence on geometry, structure, mix composition, and printing parameters are significantly underdeveloped. A comprehensive understanding of this property could be crucial for improving thermal comfort, enhancing energy efficiency, and minimizing building heat loss in printed structures. Therefore, the aim of study aim was to critically examine knowledge on the thermal conductivity of 3DCP elements, paying attention to influential factors and potential improvements in the existing experimental protocols. This systematic literature review uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework for a reliable and transparent review of records published between 2009 and 2024. Hot box and hot wire experimental setups were identified as the most used experimental techniques based on steady-state and transient conditions, respectively. Thermal conductivity decreases with increased geometric complexity, lower density, and the inclusion of aggregates or phase change materials. Normalized thermal conductivity, with respect to material density, is lower in 3DCP elements versus traditional counterparts. Studies reported an inverse relationship between porosity and thermal conductivity, owing to the effect of air pockets, voids, and hollowness within the structures. For small-scale elements, thermal conductivity is anisotropic, but more evidence is needed to quantify anisotropic effects. We propose a novel and simple experimental protocol to assess anisotropy. The measurement protocol would employ the ISO/ASTM C1363 thermal transmission assessment guidelines recommended under ISO/ASTM 52939 for 3DCP elements. This review contributes toward achieving accuracy and reproducibility in the thermal assessments of 3DCP elements, paying attention to potential anisotropic effects, hence supporting future thermal design efforts with better-performing building envelopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Architectural Engineering is the property of American Society of Civil Engineers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
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DbLabel: Engineering Source
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  Data: Systematic Literature Review of the Evaluation of the Thermal Conductivity of 3D Concrete Printed Building Elements.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Architectural+Engineering%22">Journal of Architectural Engineering</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 32 Issue 2, p1-19. 19p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermal+conductivity%22">Thermal conductivity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anisotropy%22">Anisotropy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Architectural+details%22">Architectural details</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermal+properties%22">Thermal properties</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Concrete+additives%22">Concrete additives</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Measurement%22">Measurement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermal+insulation%22">Thermal insulation</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Three-dimensional (3D) concrete printing technology has attracted widespread attention in the building and construction industry. Research studies have shown this technology's high-speed construction, waste minimization, and design freedom capabilities. However, an accurate and reliable experimental analysis of the thermal behavior of the 3D concrete printed (3DCP) building elements remains poorly understood. Specifically, research works on thermal conductivity and its dependence on geometry, structure, mix composition, and printing parameters are significantly underdeveloped. A comprehensive understanding of this property could be crucial for improving thermal comfort, enhancing energy efficiency, and minimizing building heat loss in printed structures. Therefore, the aim of study aim was to critically examine knowledge on the thermal conductivity of 3DCP elements, paying attention to influential factors and potential improvements in the existing experimental protocols. This systematic literature review uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework for a reliable and transparent review of records published between 2009 and 2024. Hot box and hot wire experimental setups were identified as the most used experimental techniques based on steady-state and transient conditions, respectively. Thermal conductivity decreases with increased geometric complexity, lower density, and the inclusion of aggregates or phase change materials. Normalized thermal conductivity, with respect to material density, is lower in 3DCP elements versus traditional counterparts. Studies reported an inverse relationship between porosity and thermal conductivity, owing to the effect of air pockets, voids, and hollowness within the structures. For small-scale elements, thermal conductivity is anisotropic, but more evidence is needed to quantify anisotropic effects. We propose a novel and simple experimental protocol to assess anisotropy. The measurement protocol would employ the ISO/ASTM C1363 thermal transmission assessment guidelines recommended under ISO/ASTM 52939 for 3DCP elements. This review contributes toward achieving accuracy and reproducibility in the thermal assessments of 3DCP elements, paying attention to potential anisotropic effects, hence supporting future thermal design efforts with better-performing building envelopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Architectural Engineering is the property of American Society of Civil Engineers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1061/JAEIED.AEENG-2169
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 19
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Thermal conductivity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Anisotropy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Architectural details
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thermal properties
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Concrete additives
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Measurement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thermal insulation
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Systematic Literature Review of the Evaluation of the Thermal Conductivity of 3D Concrete Printed Building Elements.
        Type: main
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      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ur Rehman Bajwa, Asad
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Samarasinghe, Don Amila Sajeevan
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            NameFull: Flemmer, Claire
      – PersonEntity:
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            NameFull: Bao, Ding Wen
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 32
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            – TitleFull: Journal of Architectural Engineering
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