The realities of additively manufactured concrete structures in practice

Freek P. Bos (Corresponding author), Costantino Menna, Mauricio Pradena, Eric Kreiger, Wilson Leal da Silva, Atta Ur Rehman, Daniel Weger, Stefan Chaves Figueiredo, Rob J.M. Wolfs, Yamei Zhang, Liberato Ferrara, Viktor Mechtcherine

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Abstract

Extrusion-based 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) is rapidly gaining popularity in the construction industry. Trial projects are now being realized at an increasing rate around the world to test the viability of the technology against real-world requirements. This step, from the ‘simple’ deposition of filaments of self-stable concrete to its application in buildings and structures, with all associated requirements and interfaces, comes with challenges. These range from matching the design intent to the manufacturing capabilities (through structural analysis and approval, and reinforcement) to quality consistency (robustness) on large scale, and compatibility with other materials. In many of these areas, much simply remains unknown due to a lack of experimental data or information from projects where 3DCP has been applied. This paper aims at reducing this knowledge gap by presenting a systematic discussion, based on the analyses of eight realized 3DCP projects from around the world. It was found that the structural application of printed concrete is limited, due to a lack of regulatory framework for expedient approval, as well as limited reinforcement options which require to resort to unreinforced masonry analogies. The application of the technology features a host of practical issues that relate to the print process, material, site conditions, building integration and design – or to the 3DCP technology in general. Although some potential risks, such as shrinkage cracking and quality consistency are generally recognized, the measures taken to mitigate them vary considerably, and are largely based on individual expertise. The actual effectiveness is generally unknown. Finally, it was observed that, while the printing itself is fast, the preparation time is generally considerable. This is partially due to a lack of knowledge amongst professionals. In the practical production of a 3DCP project, three expertise areas are crucial: one for the digital part, one for the machine side, and one for the material side. Thus there is a strong need for educational institutions to develop dedicated training courses and incorporate relevant topics into their curricula.
Original languageEnglish
Article number106746
Number of pages14
JournalCement and Concrete Research
Volume156
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2022

Funding

A significant part of this paper is based on information that originates from project documents and/or interviews provided by professionals who have been involved in the case studies that have been discussed. Their input is greatly appreciated. Furthermore, the authors would like to mention the project partners involved in the analysed case studies, as listed below. - Dermis o Consulted experts: Rodrigo García, Eric Forcael, Claudia Muñoz, Juan Guillermo Sandoval, Javier Sepúlveda, Paula Ulloa, Patricio Carrasco, Alexis Salinas (CITEC, UBB Chile) o Project partners: CBB Cement Company, SIKA. - Reception Centre: o Consulted experts: Prof. Tong Zhang, Prof. Meng Cong, Mr. Jin Li, Mr. Xianggang Wang. o Project partners: Architects & Engineers Co. Ltd. of Southeast University, Nanjing Institute for Intelligent Additive Manufacturing. - Holstebro House o Consulted experts: Henrik-Lund Nielsen, Alma Bangsgaard (COBOD International), Andreas S. Larsen (3DCP Group). o Project partners: COBOD International, 3DCP Group. - Dubai Office o Input by: Jarret Gross (Construction Tech Correspondent) o Project partners: Apis Cor, Dubai Municipality, Engineering Contracting Company (ECC Group). - Beckum House o Consulted experts: Dr. Fabian Meyer-Brötz (PERI AG), Prof. Christoph Gehlen (cbm, TUM, Ingenieurbüro Schiessl Gehlen Sodeikat GmbH) o Project partners: PERI AG, Italcementi/HeidelbergCement AG, Mense-Korte engineers + architects, House3Druck, Ingenieurbüro Schliessl Gehlen Sodeikat GmbH, Centre for Building Materials (cbm) at Technical University of Munich (TUM) - B-Hut o Expert input by author Kreiger o Project partners: U.S. Army - Milestone House o Consulted experts: Jan Blaakmeer (Saint Gobain Weber Beamix), Hans Laagland (Witteveen+Bos consulting engineers). o Project partners: Vesteda, Van Wijnen, Saint Gobain Weber Beamix, Witteveen+Bos consulting engineers, Eindhoven Municipality, Eindhoven University of Technology. - Striatus Bridge o Consulted experts: Johannes Megens (Incremental3D), Shajay Bhooshan (Zaha Hadid Architects), Philippe Block (ETH Zürich). o Project partners: Zaha Hadid Architects, ETH Zürich, Incremental3D., Furthermore, the following authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by research funding: - Zhang: National Natural Science Foundation of China, grant. no. 52130210. - Leal da Silva: Innovation Fund Denmark, grant no. 8055-00030B: Next Generation of 3D-printed Concrete Structures.

FundersFunder number
ETH Zurich
Technische Universität München

    Keywords

    • 3D Concrete Printing
    • Approval
    • Construction
    • Design
    • Evaluation
    • Project

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