Interaction of reinforcement, process, and form in Digital Fabrication with Concrete

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Harald Kloft - , Technical University of Braunschweig (Author)
  • Bartłomiej Sawicki - , Technical University of Braunschweig (Author)
  • Freek Bos - , Technical University of Munich (Author)
  • Robin Dörrie - , Technical University of Braunschweig (Author)
  • Niklas Freund - , Technical University of Braunschweig (Author)
  • Stefan Gantner - , Technical University of Braunschweig (Author)
  • Lukas Gebhard - , ETH Zurich (Author)
  • Norman Hack - , Technical University of Braunschweig (Author)
  • Egor Ivaniuk - , Chair of Construction Materials (Author)
  • Jacques Kruger - , University of Stellenbosch (Author)
  • Walter Kaufmann - , ETH Zurich (Author)
  • Jaime Mata-Falcón - , Polytechnic University of Valencia (Author)
  • Viktor Mechtcherine - , Chair of Construction Materials (Author)
  • Ammar Mirjan - , MESH AG (Author)
  • Rob Wolfs - , Eindhoven University of Technology (Author)
  • Dirk Lowke - , Technical University of Braunschweig, Technical University of Munich (Author)

Abstract

Material, manufacturing process, and form are mutually dependent. In formwork-based concrete construction, the reinforcement must be positioned and fixed in the formwork, limiting material efficiency and freedom of form. In Digital Fabrication with Concrete (DFC), the formwork no longer limits the concrete forming process. Furthermore, the reinforcement no longer must be installed in advance, but can be placed before, during or after the concrete application. Therefore, the role of reinforcement and its interaction with processing must be fundamentally rethought in DFC. Furthermore, with reinforcement integration a concrete component expands from a contour-based shape into a structural form. The current paper proposes a new so-called RPF-framework expressing the interaction of reinforcement, process and form in DFC. The application of this framework is illustrated using current examples of DFC, whose structural forms are critically discussed. Finally, the need for a holistic approach to material, process and form in DFC is emphasised.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number107640
Number of pages20
JournalCement and concrete research
Volume186 (2024)
Publication statusPublished - 25 Sept 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords

Keywords

  • 3D concrete printing, Additive manufacturing in construction, Automated reinforcement processing, Digital fabrication with concrete, RPF-framework