Brief
Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a new method for 3D concrete printing that reduces weight by 72%, creates ultra-lightweight, waste-free concrete and allows for intricate shapes. This promises to revolutionize the construction industry by.
Insight
Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a new method for 3D concrete printing that promises to revolutionize the construction industry by creating more environmentally friendly structures at lower costs.
The team, led by Architect Mania Aghaei Meibodi and researchers Alireza Bayramvand and Yuxin Lin of the DART lab at U-M’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, has developed a technique for creating ultra-lightweight, waste-free concrete that reduces weight by 72% compared to conventional concrete of the same size.
This approach uses a computational design and robotic 3D printing technology that combines topology optimization with 3D concrete printing. Topology optimization is a technique that generates the most efficient distribution of material based on performance criteria, such as strength or weight, for a given set of support.
The U-M team’s new approach, called “Shell Wall,” allows for efficient use of material by placing it precisely where it’s needed for structural purposes and eliminates unnecessary overbuilding with excessive amounts of materials. The method enables intricate shapes like branching and angular tubular forms, overhangs,
layer cantilevers, and filament section or angle variations, which are not possible with the most widely used approach that has geometric limitations and restricts its application to simple shapes like orthogonal walls. The construction industry is beginning to quickly embrace 3D printing as a promising tool for innovation and sustainability, particularly for its ability to create complex shapes and structures quickly and with less waste.
With rapid urbanization and increased demands to build infrastructure, the researchers’ work is contributing to major changes in the construction industry and overall 3DCP practices, establishing new partnerships designed to improve future outcomes for architects, lawmakers, 3D concrete printing startups and the concrete industry at large.
Highlight
- Creating ultra-lightweight, waste-free concrete that reduces weight by 72% compared to conventional concrete of the same size.
- Topology optimization is a technique that generates the most efficient distribution of material based on performance criteria, such as strength or weight, for a given set of support.
- he team has created a computational model that synergizes nonplanar and variable material deposition based on the shape and geometric features of the topology-optimized parts, leading to new patents beyond U-M.
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