A team of UC Berkeley researchers led by Associate Professor of Architecture Ronald Rael pioneered a technique to print cement-based materials, Gizmag reports.
What differentiates this technique from other applications of 3D printing in architecture, such as the multifamily project done in China, is that the technique Rael and his team developed prints out dry, powdered cement instead of wet cement. This allows users to create more complex and precisely finished structures, with reduced weight and waste.
"We are mixing polymers with cement and fibers to produce very strong, lightweight, high-resolution parts on readily available equipment; It’s a very precise, yet frugal technique," Rael told Gizmag. "This project is the genesis of a realistic, marketable process with the potential to transform the way we think about building a structure."
To test the material, the researchers built the Bloom pavilion. The technology they developed has the capacity to construct up to 30 blocks per day, which means a structure like the Bloom pavilion can be completed in 28 days. The researchers’ first attempt took one year, which includes designing the parts, testing, building the printers, and other fine-tuning processes.
According to UC Berkeley, the architecture will be disassembled and shipped to SRI in Thailand, where it will be exhibited and remain on display for several months before traveling to various locations around the world.
Read more on Gizmag.
Related Stories
Building Technology | Oct 7, 2016
How much is that LEED point worth? A new tool provides answers
Autocase analyzes the financial, social, and environmental benefits of certification.
Sponsored | BIM and Information Technology | Oct 3, 2016
A laser scanning solution for challenging topographic surveys
DeWalt Corporation, which has completed thousands of surveys over the last 50 years, began using 3D laser scanning technology nearly five years ago.
BIM and Information Technology | Sep 15, 2016
8 tips for perfecting co-location
Experts share tips and tricks for maximizing cross-team collaboration.
BIM and Information Technology | Sep 12, 2016
Draft of 2016 version of the LOD Specification has been released for public comment
The comment period is open until Sept. 23.
BIM and Information Technology | Sep 7, 2016
Energy Star Portfolio Manager tool updated to factor in waste management
The costs and benefits of managing 29 types of waste are now included.
BIM and Information Technology | Aug 30, 2016
BIM GIANTS: A ranking of the nation's top BIM design and construction firms
HOK, Perkins+Will, Turner Construction Co., The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., Jacobs, and Thornton Tomasetti top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest BIM AEC firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
BIM and Information Technology | Aug 30, 2016
New service from CBRE provides deeper insights into in-building wireless network experiences
With dependable cellular and Wi-Fi coverage a must-have amenity for today’s businesses, CBRE to certify in-building network quality through new Cellular Signal Mapping service
BIM and Information Technology | Aug 22, 2016
The wicked problem of interoperability
Building professionals are often put in a situation where solving problems with the ‘best tool for the job’ comes at the cost of not being able to fully leverage data downstream without limitation, writes Proving Ground's Nathan Miller.
Contractors | Aug 10, 2016
Dodge launches new app to simplify pros' search for suitable projects to bid and work on
The product, called PlanRoom, could be particularly useful in sharing data and communications among AEC teams.
BIM and Information Technology | Aug 9, 2016
How to improve a project presentation with animated GIFs
Animated GIFs are a simple tool that can explain a large amount of intricate information in an easy to understand, streamlined manner.