3D PRINTING IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

INTRODUCTION METHODS OF 3D PRINTING IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a revolutionary technology that has
transformed various industries, including building construction. Unlike traditional
manufacturing methods that involve subtracting material (such as cutting or drilling), 3D
printing builds objects layer by layer, directly from digital models.
1. Material Extrusion (Fused Deposition Modeling - FDM): This method involves
extruding material through a nozzle to create layered patterns. It is commonly used
for plastic materials and is one of the most popular and cost-effective techniques

2. Photopolymerization (Stereolithography - SLA): Liquid photopolymer resin is

hardened by selective exposure to light, typically using a laser or projector. This
process solidifies the exposed areas to form the desired object

3. Fusing and Direct Application of Energy: In this method, a layer of powder is

deposited, and specific areas are melted together using a heat source like a laser or
electron beam. The process is repeated to create the final object

4. Injection of Binder (Binder Jetting): Liquid binders are applied to layers of powder
material to build parts. This technique is used in 3D printing to combine granulates
and binders for creating components from metals, ceramics, and polymers
MATERIALS USED IN CONSTRUCTION
5. Injection of Materials (Jetting): Drops of material are deposited layer by layer to
manufacture parts. This method can involve using photosensitive resin jets with UV
1. Plastics:
rays or depositing melted materials that solidify at room temperature
○ Polylactic Acid (PLA): Biodegradable and easy to print, commonly used for
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
prototypes and consumer goods.
○ Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS): Durable and impact-resistant, suitable ● including increased design ● Few suitable construction materials
for functional parts. flexibility ● Requires specialized equipment for large
○ Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG): Combines the strength of ABS ● reduced construction time and structures.
with the ease of printing of PLA. waste
● Ensuring strength requires careful design
2. Resins: COMPONENTS OF 3D PRINTING ● the ability to create complex and
customized structures and quality control.
○ Standard Resins: Used in SLA and DLP printers for high-detail applications. ● Building codes may not fully address
● This technology has the
○ Flexible Resins: Offer elasticity and impact resistance for applications potential to revolutionize the 3D-printed structures.
requiring flexibility. buildings construction ● High initial setup costs and specialized
○ Castable Resins: Designed for creating molds and jewelry casting. ● more efficient, Cost-effective equipment. Long-term performance is
3. Metals: and sustainable still under study.
○ Stainless Steel: Strong, corrosion-resistant, and suitable for functional parts.
○ Titanium: Lightweight, strong, and used in aerospace and medical TYPES OF 3D PRINTING
applications.
○ Aluminum: Lightweight and commonly used in automotive and aerospace
industries.
4. Ceramics:
○ Alumina: High-temperature resistance, used in electrical and thermal
insulators.
○ Zirconia: Biocompatible and used in dental and medical implants.
○ Silicon Carbide: Extremely hard and used in abrasive applications.
5. Composites: APPLICATIONS OF 3D PRINTING IN CONSTRUCTION:
○ Carbon Fiber: Offers high strength-to-weight ratio, used in aerospace and
automotive industries. ● Rapid Prototyping ● Aerospace and Automotive
○ Fiberglass: Provides strength and flexibility, commonly used in prototyping ● Customization ● Construction
and manufacturing. ● Complex Geometry ● Education
6. Concrete: ● Time and Cost Efficiency ● Art and Design.
○ Cement-Based Mixtures: Used in construction for creating architectural ● Medical Applications ● Environmental Conservation
elements and structures

NAME - C G CHAITHANYA
USN - 1JA20AT010
3D PRINTING IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION SUBJECT - MMBC 8
COLLEGE - SJBSAP
EXAMPLES FOR 3D PRINTING CASE STUDY: CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

KAMP C,
Westerlo,
Belgium

In July 2020, Kamp C unveiled the first two-story house printed on-site in Europe. The
This proof of concept house in house is eight meters tall, has a floor area of 90 square meters, and is 3D printed with
The gypsum based building was
Thisaustin,
proof TX was the house
of concept first in built directly on-site without any one of COBOD’s BOD2 printers.
permitted 3D was
austin, TX printed
the home
first extra assembly works. The total
built in US. The
permitted 3D concrete walls
printed home area of the building is larger than
built
are printed
in US. The
in about
concrete
24 hrs,
walls the printing area accessible
before the roof,
are printed doors
in about 24and
hrs, when the Apis Cor 3D printer is
windows
before arethe added
roof, doors
by human
and stationary. However, the Apis Cor
windows are labour.
added by human 3D printer is mobile and was
labour. moved around the construction
site by crane.

In the rest of the world, 3D-printing is already on the rise. Lots of possibilities are already
being executed, as for example the printing of temporary housing specific building
components and even complete apartments. With the C3PO project: “Co-Creation:
3D-printing with enterprises” the province of Antwerp wants to speed up this innovative
technology in Flanders in cooperation with Kamp C. In 2020, the project partners printed
the first dwelling with a fixed printer. The KIEM project, “Knowledge sharing - Inspiration
-Elimination barriers - Market introduction”, aims at an accelerated introduction of the
technique of 3D concrete printing in the construction sector.

A 38m2 house complete with a
hall, a bathroom, a living room
and a small kitchen, was
constructed in Stupino, Russia.
The combined mobile 3D printer
and automatic mix and supply
unit constructed the building
within a single day, and saved
around 70% of the construction
cost. The entire building cost was
$10.134.
The construction sector is often linked to dirty, unattractive jobs that require a lot of
physical effort from the employee. And it may be like that with the traditional building
methods, which also proceed very slowly. But now, also the construction sector is
changing and evolution to a high tech environment: a 3D-printer integrates a very
The Office of the Future is the
modern production technique in the building process. In the whole world, 3D-printing
world's first 3D printed office
building. The entire structure of in construction is on the rise very strongly but not in Flanders, it needs to get going
the building was manufactured even more . The C3PO project wants to change this and wants to integrate 3D-printing
using an additive concrete in the Flanders construction world in an accelerated manner. Moreover, Kamp C has
'printing technique using a 3D succeeded in this by printing a demo house with a 3D concrete printer. The house was
printer. The printer features an built in 1 piece, unique on a world scale. C3PO will be continued in the KIEM project,
automated robotic arm to which aims to accelerate the introduction of 3D concrete printing technology in the
implement the printing process
construction sector.
and was installed on site in two
days.

NAME - C G CHAITHANYA
USN - 1JA20AT010
3D PRINTING IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION SUBJECT - MMBC 8
COLLEGE - SJBSAP
 RETROFITTING OF STRUCTURE 3. Wall Thickening Technique 7. Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP)
The word retrofit means to apply new technology to an old system. retrofit is a process A fiber-reinforced polymer is an axial
of adding some new features that were not there before. retro fitting in the ● The existing walls of a building
strengthening system used to improve or
construction industry refers to the strengthening of the existing structure to make are added a certain thickness by
enhance the capacity of reinforced
them seismic resistant. retro fitting is an economic approach to increase the lifespan of adding bricks, concrete, and concrete beams. It can be used for both
an existing structure rather than re developing it steel aligned at certain places as circular as well as rectangular-shaped
reinforcement. columns but it is more effective in the
● The weight of the wall increases former shape.
and it can bear more vertical FRP increases the ultimate load-carrying
and horizontal loads. capacity of reinforced concrete members
● Also, it is designed under special and improves the shear capacity of the
reinforced concrete element. Also, the
conditions so so that the
ductility of a reinforced concrete column
transverse loads do not cause is increased considerably. Composite must
sudden failure of the wall. be dried before repair because all resins
● Rust can be developed on and some fiber absorb moisture.
reinforcement if not covered
properly by mortar.
METHODS OF RETROFITTING OF BUILDING 8. Epoxy Injection Method

Epoxy injection is an economical method of repairing non-moving cracks in concrete

The following are the most common methods of retrofitting of building walls, slabs, columns, and piers. In retrofitting buildings, epoxy injection is used to fill
1. Adding New Shear Wall ● 6. Jacketing Method 4. Base Isolation Technique and repair the structural fault.
2. Adding Steel Bracing ● 7. Fiber Reinforced Polymer(FRP)
3. Wall Thickening Technique ● 8. Epoxy Injection Method It is capable of restoring the strength of concrete to its pre-cracked strength. The epoxy
● Isolation of the superstructure from the tensile bond to the concrete is stronger than the tensile strength of concrete.
4. Base Isolation Technique ● 9. External Plate Bonding
foundation is known as base isolation. It is Strengthening is provided by installing additional reinforcement across the failure plane
5. Mass Reduction Technique
the most powerful method for passive in combination with the epoxy resin injection.
structural vibration control techniques.
1. Adding New Shear Wall: ● When a building is isolated from the
ground it causes lesser seismic loads,
Adding New Shear Wall to Building to hence lesser damage to the structure and
minimum repair of the superstructure.
Retrofitting of Building
● This is a frequently used technique for ● The main demerit of this method is, it cannot be applied to structures like other
retrofitting of a building of non-ductile retrofitting and is expensive in the budget.
reinforced concrete frame buildings. ● This method is inefficient for high-rise buildings and not suitable for buildings
● The elements can be either cast-in-place or resting on soft soils.
precast concrete elements.
5. Mass Reduction Technique
● New elements preferably are placed at the 9. External Plate Bonding
exterior of the building. It is not preferred in In mass reduction technique, for instance, by
the interior of the structure to avoid interior removal of one or more storeys as shown in Strengthening of reinforced concrete beams with external plates or strips is a
moldings. the figure. In this method, it is evident that conventional method and has been utilized for many decades. The external plate
2. Adding Steel Bracing the removal of the mass will lead to a bonding method can be used for increasing the shear strength of reinforced concrete
decrease in the loading, which will lead to an beams by completely or partially wrapping steel plates at the joint of a column and
increase in the required strength. beam.
● Steel bracing is an effective solution in
the retrofitting of buildings when large An external plate providing perpendicular
6. Jacketing Method
to potential shear cracks is effective to
openings are required.
increase the shear strength of the
● Potential advantages due to higher It is the most used method of retrofitting of
concrete reinforced member. The
strength and stiffness and opening for building. Jacketing is the most popularly used
additional shear strength is achieved, but
method for the strengthening of columns and
natural light can be provided. depending on beam geometry, existing
beams of a building. Jacketing consists of
● The amount of work is also less so concrete strength, and applied the
added concrete with longitudinal and
foundation cost may be minimized and wrapping method.
transverse reinforcement around the existing
adds much less weight to the existing columns.
structure.
NAME - C G CHAITHANYA
USN - 1JA20AT010
RETRO FITTING AND REPAIRS SUBJECT - MMBC 7
COLLEGE - SJBSAP
 All A3 sheets min 1- Max yeshtadru
1. 3D printing
2. Retro fitting and repairs
3. Underground and Underwater
4. Prefabrication and Modular construction
5. Kinetic construction