The 3D printing challenge in buildings

Abstract

The rising awareness and usage of Building Information Modelling (BIM), a methodology that allows for better information management and communication amongst the several stakeholders of a building project, opened the construction sector's door to digital fabrication tools that for years have been applied in many highly productive industries. 3D printing (3DP), unlike the conventional construction process that showed no signs of progress over the past decades, has already proven to be an interesting technology for Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC), enabling important economic, environmental and constructability advantages, such as a reduction in building time and waste, mass customization and complex architectural shapes. Consequently, universities alongside companies worldwide, are now developing and applying 3DP to building construction. However, with the growing adoption of new technologies in AEC, new challenges arise that must be overcome in order to guarantee the buildings' correct performance. Therefore, this paper presents a literature review conducted to highlight new developments regarding the building physics and comfort of additively manufactured structures. The research revealed that the focus so far was guaranteeing printability, structural soundness, safety and durability, which means that there are still key requirements to be met, including fire resistance and adequate hygrothermal and acoustic behaviour.

Advanced Manufacturing in Civil Engineering

“…Finally, an area that certainly requires much more attention is the thermal behaviour of 3D-printed buildings. With Europe moving towards zero-energy buildings, new 3DP structures must fit within these requirements, something that can only be achieved with extensive research on thermal behaviour and design optimisation [59,60].…”