The use of 3D printing in the construction industry is growing globally. A recent example is a two-story building in Belgium, located in the Westerlo area. It is the World largest 3D building (printing) facility in Europe.
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| World largest 3D printed building |
The eight-meter-high building has a floor area of 90 square meters, which is equivalent to the average number of houses built in the region.
The building has been developed by a company called CompC, whose project manager, Emile Esso, says, "What makes this building unique is that we have printed it with a fixed 3D concrete printer. Other houses, built in 3D in other parts of the world, have only one floor. Different parts of many buildings were printed in the factory, after which they were installed on the site. We did, however, print the entire building on site. "
The house is 3D printed as part of C3PO, a European project funded by the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund). With this success, project partners hope to grow interest in the use of 3D concrete printing in the construction industry as a building technique.
Europe's largest 3D printed building
Kathleen Helsen, president of Camp C and provincial vice president of housing, says the construction industry has shown great interest in the technique.
Role of 3D printing in construction industry
"The role of 3D printing in the construction industry is growing worldwide. Numerous possibilities are already being implemented, including the printing of temporary housing and even complete apartments, but in our country this technology is still considered unique.
The construction industry faces many unprecedented challenges at the same time. We must reduce the use of materials and energy in construction to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and waste flow. In addition, the demand for high quality and affordable housing is increasing, etc. "
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| 3D printed house |
She adds, "Our CompC team believes that new technologies, such as 3D concrete printing, can provide a solution to this problem." That's why we've set up this unique location on our site, where construction companies can collaborate with research and educational institutions to experiment with 3D printing. "
Benefits of 3D printing
A house printed with 3D technology is three times stronger than a house built with bricks with faster building techniques. "3D material has three times the shear capacity of a conventional building," says Marijke Ertz, project manager at CompC. This first house is a test that researchers will now examine to see if the building will retain its strength over time. "
In addition to the fiber present in concrete, the amount of wire mesh used is extremely limited. As a result of 3D printing technology, there is no need to build temporary wooden structures to handle the concrete used in traditional constructions, resulting in an estimated 60% savings in materials, time and budget. If you add all day, it only takes three weeks to print a house in Camp C. In the future, an entire house can be printed in just two days.
This model was designed to showcase the house, modern construction technology and 3D printing capabilities. "The building is massively bent and has a wide variety of walls," says Eisenhower. In this building we have also added traditional thermal bridge solutions, as a result of which the need for cold bridge has been completely eliminated.
Also, we have developed a low energy consumption home that caters to all modern day needs. It has floor and ceiling heating facilities, while solar panels and heat pumps have also been installed. We will also add a green roof. "
When construction began on the building, the Camp C team had no idea what the building would be used for. Their purpose was to print a floor area, height and shape equal to the average area of a modern house.
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He wanted to build a 3D printed model building on the principle of circular building, which could be used as a house, meeting space, an office or an exhibition space.