In Qatar, a multi -thousand square meter school will soon be produced using 3D printing technology, one of the largest construction projects worldwide in this segment. While the project aims to demonstrate progress in the component speed, sustainability and precision with the 3D printing, the project includes two 3D building printer that works together to build the school with a combined area of 40,000 square meters that will be located in two locations. One of the large -scale printers, the BodxL, has already been installed in Doha. While the schools are designed as two -story buildings, this initiative is part of a greater effort to improve and modernize the educational infrastructure in Qatar. The project is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2026, whereby the total cost of the project is estimated at $ 70 million.
In the early stages, the 3D printing is slowly changing in the construction industry. How does it work? Materials are placed one after the other using computer -controlled processes to create three -dimensional forms, and is specifically examined for its potential advantages in terms of speed, efficiency and adaptation. The 3D printers are useful to create new structures on site or manufacturing components outside the location for the later assembly, and the printer receives dimensions from a software program and builds the structure on a platform with materials such as cement, plastic or liquid metals.
3D printing uses techniques such as robot arm extruders, an arm or a crane-like structure that moves back and forth, releases materials and creates layers. You can easily combine 3D printing technology with other technologies such as welding to create structures such as bridges that may not have a foundation. The printers use the exact amount of materials, so that they usually generate almost zero waste and work with little supervision to create houses or structures within a few days. This is an inexpensive way to save money for work and time for projects.
At the beginning of this year, MICOB, a 3D print company from Gujarat, presented a project with 30 3D printed cottages at Nagoa Beach, Diu. The construction is inspired by traditional 'Bwhwunga Huts' (round huts) of the Gujarat Kutch region in order to mix the cultural heritage with modern design techniques. Nagoa Beach, Diu, is a coastal strip, so that the cottages are to treat the environmental challenges such as building insulation and corrosion.
A 3D printed villa was unveiled in Pune in the Godrej Eden Estate in Maan Hinjewadi in October last year. Bengaluru opened a 3D printed post in the Cambridge layout in 2023, which saved the costs by 30% and money compared to conventional construction methods. A specially created robot arm extruder was used for the contourbage and the unique design was achieved in 43 days compared to the conventional construction method of 10 months. The building was built by Larsen and Toubro with technical guidance of IIT Madras at a price of RS 23 Lakh.
This year Starbucks opened a 3D printed shop in Texas, USA. The building is an overhaul of Drive-Thru and Mobile Order and is a compact rectangular shape with rigid walls that resemble stacked tubes and show innovative concrete structures. But does this mean that 3D can replace manual construction in the future? Not soon. Last month, scientists from the University of Bristol, England, used the largest shaking table in Great Britain to meet the conditions of an earthquake with a medium size in order to assess the possible damage to a 3D-printed building. The traditional concrete design has a well-established seismic behavior, but 3D printed concrete introduces new variables such as shifting, unique material properties and non-traditional geometries. It is therefore of crucial importance to assess how these factors influence structural integrity under earthquake load.
The project runs Prof. Anastasios Sextos and Dr. Raffaele de Risi said: “This experiment aims to close the knowledge gap in relation to the dynamic reaction of 3D printed units, in particular how they are absorbed under recorded and simulated seismic events. This aims to identify the team to identify strengths, weakness and failure mechanisms that are specific for this construction method.” “
Findings from this study will therefore help to identify design parameters that optimize seismic performance, such as: B. layer binding strategies and reinforcement integration.
“We hope to validate whether 3D printing concrete can meet current security standards for seismic applications and form a basis for the development of building regulations that include additive manufacturing technologies. These results will be of essential importance for engineers, architects and political decision-makers who examine the future of earthly-resistant constructions,” added Risi in the report.