Exploring the role of 3D concrete printing in AEC: Construction, design, and performance

The use of concrete, which has an essential place in the construction sector, is becoming increasingly widespread in the sector with the additive manufacturing method. On the other hand, three-dimensional concrete printing (3DCP) technology, the centre of attention of many researchers, is still a developing method in the sector. Analyses on the current status of 3DCP are considered important in guiding academic studies on the potential and future of the subject. In this context, the study aims to evaluate the current status and potential of 3DCP technology in the AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) industry. In this study, the bibliometric analysis method was used to identify, select, evaluate and systematise the research literature on three-dimensional concrete printing technology in building production for the purpose of the study and to create new perspectives for future studies. According to the criteria determined within the scope of the study, 241 articles were reached in the Web of Science database. VOSviewer and biblioshiny programmes were used to determine data such as annual number of publications, publication production of countries, number of citations, and keywords. According to the findings based on the content of the reviewed articles, research on 3DCP technology is mainly focused on the fields of construction, performance and design. In this context, 35% of the 60 most cited papers were focused on construction, 57% on performance and 8% on design. According to the study's output, further research and application are needed in the field of 'design'. In this study, it is seen that 3DCP technology is still an emerging field and there is a need for further research and application in terms of 'design' in terms of the AEC sector. In this context, it is thought that the study will provide important references in terms of processes and trends in the sector.