Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Hatim Amiji - B4 - Group B

The term project focuses on the present status of construction using 3D concrete printing and how it can be improved, specifically the "concrete mix" in order to achieve construction of big complex structures (i.e. high rises, bridge decks) and the socioeconomic impact of this technology in the society. 3D printing also known as additive manufacturing is a process of producing a three-dimensional object/structure by laying down successive layers of material until entirely completed. Each layer is a thing horizontal cross section of the finished product. 3D printing technology has evolved over the years to an extent that it is now capable of producing bigger structures/objects of varying complexity. In 2014, A Chinese Company “Winsun Decoration Design Engineering Co” printed 10 houses in 24 hours using a 3D printer with a mixture of recycled construction waste and quick-drying cement. In 2015, the same company demonstrated exceptional capabilities of the 3D printing technology as they built the world’s tallest 3D printed building i.e. a five-story apartment building. The building was created using a 6.6 by 10 meter printer which pours layers of a mixture composed of glass fiber, steel, cement, hardening agents and recycled construction waste. Sections of the building were printed in the plant and were assembled on site which is similar to prefabricating concrete designs to create the final building. The building met relevant national standards in terms of building code, it was declared safe, reliable and features a good integration of architecture and decoration.

The rapid evolution and improvement of the 3D concrete printing has led to numerous research on how this can be improved to build projects of even bigger scale and complexity such as high rises, bridge decks, dams etc. The main ingredient of this process is the concrete mix and thus it determines the strength, size and complexity of the structure. Improvement in the concrete mix leads improvement in the overall technology. Also, our research will comprise if the possibility of 3D printing can be achieved using different construction materials not only concrete hence increase the variety/options of construction. The growth of this technology will have socioeconomic impact such as reduction of housing costs hence improving standard of living (since 3D concrete printing is cheaper than conventional construction method), impact on labor union can be enormous since this process in general replaces labor work by the use of a machine which pours layers of concrete.

The research will begin with a brief introduction of 3D concrete printing technology, history and its evolution in the construction industry. Technical aspects of the 3D concrete printing will be discussed such as the machine pouring the concrete mix, the concrete mix itself and its properties as well the as the assembly of the 3D printed construction elements i.e. walls, beams, columns etc. The current application and the future of this industry will be analyzed i.e. what scale and complexity of construction can be achieved as well as the alternative materials which can be used instead of concrete. Furthermore, socioeconomic impact of 3D concrete printing will be explored i.e. impact on economy, labor union and improvement in living standards.

The outline of our project is as follows:
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
    • Introduce the project and its deliverables
    • History and evolution of 3D printing in the construction industry.
  • Technical aspects of 3D concrete printing
    • Discuss process
    • Concrete mix
    • Assembly
  • Current applications and future of 3-D concrete printing.
    • Scale of construction projects at present
    • Complexity of projects
    • Alternate materials
    • Future
  • Socioeconomic impact of 3D concrete printing in the construction industry.
    • Impact on economy
    • Cost
    • Effect on labor unions i.e. jobs creation or reduction?
  • Conclusion

References:


Comments:
Maria - I agree with you that robots such as SAM are used in the construction industry at present and it is not only saving time but also reducing construction costs. With the development of such machines, the future holds more prospects of extensive use of robots in the construction industry which will be more powerful, efficient and capable of doing complicated tasks. However, this can have major socioeconomic impact on the society since it is replacing jobs of construction workers hence creating a vacuum in the job market which in turn may have a negative impact on the economy. Therefore it is important to factor in such impacts due to advancement of technology and to find the balance so that the impact is minimized.

http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b4-group-d-maria-ayon.html?showComment=1454448937973#c6663408153290580973

Samuel - RTLS has a wide range of scope, it is like a GPS device attached to every single person in the building however in this case it holds more information than just the location. It can be used in hotels where each guest is wearing a wearable that provides information about his sleep patterns, choice of food/drinks, so that the hotel personnel know when to wake him/her up or what type of food he/she may like etc. This is an interesting idea, and its applications are immense, As Derek mentioned in a big construction site where hundreds of workers are working it can be used to locate a special technician when needed.


http://ae-510-ay15-16.blogspot.com/2016/02/b4-samuel-boyce-wearables-group-a.html?showComment=1454454434267#c8059420729148418938

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