Prospective LCA for 3D-Printed Foamed Geopolymer Composites Using Construction Waste as Additives
Sustainability 2025
Karīna Bāliņa, Rihards Gailītis, Māris Šinka, Pauls Pāvils Ārgalis, Līga Radiņa, Andīna Sprince

Additive manufacturing has recently become popular and more cost-effective for building construction. This study presents a prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) of 3D-printed foamed geopolymer composites (3D-FOAM materials) incorporating construction and demolition waste. The materials were developed using fly ash, slag, sand, and a foaming agent, with recycled clay brick waste (CBW) and autoclaved aerated concrete waste (AACW) added as alternative raw materials. The material formulations were evaluated for their compressive strength and thermal conductivity to define two functional units that reflect structural and thermal performance. A prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted under laboratory-scale conditions using the ReCiPe 2016 method. Results show that adding CBW and AACW reduces environmental impacts across several categories, including global warming potential and ecotoxicity, without compromising material performance. Compared to conventional wall systems, the 3D-FOAM materials offer a viable low-impact alternative when assessed on a functional basis. These findings highlight the potential of integrating recycled materials into additive manufacturing to support circular economy goals in the construction sector.


Keywords
3D -printed geopolymer composites; life cycle assessment; building waste incorporation into geopolymer composites
DOI
10.3390/su17146459

Bāliņa, K., Gailītis, R., Šinka, M., Ārgalis, P., Radiņa, L., Sprince, A. Prospective LCA for 3D-Printed Foamed Geopolymer Composites Using Construction Waste as Additives. Sustainability, 2025, Vol. 17, No. 14, pp.1-21. Available from: doi:10.3390/su17146459

Publication language
English (en)
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