Supervisor: none

Consumer desktop 3D printers are able to produce inexpensive and relatively strong plastic
additively manufactured geometries on ever-increasing print bed sizes. The additive
manufacturing process can be exploited to produce almost any type of geometry multiple
times using the same digital file. Although the output product size of consumer 3D printers is
currently quite small, and uses a material that is not strong enough to be structurally feasible
on its own in construction, it could be ideally suited to create lightweight and one-
time/reusable concrete formwork components, potentially using a series of small inexpensive
3D printers in a systematic and modular manner. Utilising many printers could overcome the
relatively slow print time, which is a consequence of the current technology and its high print
resolution.

This project will investigate their potential use in creating linear structural elements in a
sleeve formwork arrangement, to create 1D components such as columns, beams and the
strut-ties of trusses, to create 2D-3D structures with high precision. By integrating structural
reinforcement into the formwork designs, the resulting structures can be utilised on the
construction scale, ideally with adherence to modern design codes for reinforced concrete
design. The scaling-up for the construction industry requires many additional considerations
such as concrete mix design, node connections and falsework design. The 3D printed material
may be used either as a lost formwork, where it is not recovered from the structure with little
financial consequence due to its low cost, or investigated to act as a quality surface formwork
to produce an aesthetic concrete finish or acting also as a reusable component for subsequent
casts. The low energy and portable nature of the formworks mean that designs can be created
at one location and digital files sent close to the construction site for printing.

Additive manufacturing is particularly well suited in constructing structurally optimised

geometries, as material is deposited in layers in areas where it is required most. This creates a
link with with using the AM formwork production process to cast structural elements with
atypical geometries, as a means to reduce material usage and also reduce construction
complexity. This is preferred to many other typical subtractive methods for creating concrete
formworks that involve the cutting, milling and subsequent waste of large quantities of
material. Complex geometries that would not be possible with even traditional and CNC
subtractive manufacturing are possible with AM, as well as potential reduced labour aspects.
The research will involve using optimisation methods, digital geometric modelling, additive
manufacturing resources, with the goal of realising full-scale physical demonstrators and tests
after the successful completion of smaller proof-of-concept models.