Applying concept of 3D printing concrete in wind tower construction

Abstract

Although the most prominent material in contemporary construction practice due to its obvious advantages, concrete possesses a number of drawbacks. One of the advantageous principles for decades is to enable a large scale on-site application of this material with acceptable properties, needed to withstand specific conditions. A concept of 3d printing concrete presents a promising ground for further improvement of this principle. While maintaining as much as possible of the prerequisite and common properties to answer the construction demands, this material has to evolve as much as possible to fulfill the 3d concept, which would, in turn, pave a way for the next level of its construction applications. This paper presents the main principles of 3d printing concrete, by discussing the main goals and the drawbacks that have to be solved prior to wider application. Also, one specific facility- wind tower will be reconsidered as a potentially promising ground for this old construction material dressed in a new suit.