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The History of 3D Concrete Printing
Significant Milestones and Technological Advancements
Tim Robertson
August 28, 2024
The history of 3D printing in concrete and construction is marked by significant milestones and technological advancements that have shaped its development and application in modern civil engineering.
Automating building processes has been an area of research in architecture and civil engineering since the 20th century. Early approaches focused on automating masonry, with a notable patent for a brick-laying machine granted to John Thomas in 1904 in the United States[1].
Early Innovations
By the 1960s, technology had developed significantly, with functional equipment like the Motor-Mason in use on building sites[1]. Slip forming, a technique developed in the early 20th century for building silos and grain elevators, became widely used for constructing vertical concrete cores for high-rise buildings.
This method was pioneered by James MacDonald of MacDonald Engineering in Chicago and documented by Milko S. Ketchum in his 1907 book [1]. Robotic bricklaying and automated construction technologies were conceptualized and explored in the 1950s and 1960s, respectively.
Brick Laying Machine circa 1960
During this period, innovations such as pumped concrete and isocyanate foams emerged[2]. In the 1980s and 1990s, Japanese companies Shimizu and Hitachi pioneered the development of automated fabrication techniques, including slip forming and robotic assembly of components, to enhance the safety and efficiency of constructing high-rise buildings [2].
These early approaches often struggled to adapt to novel architectural designs and faced logistical challenges in built-up urban areas[2].
3D Concrete Printing Gains Traction
The concept of 3D concrete printing began to gain traction in the mid-1990s, with significant research and development efforts underway by 1995[2]. In 2008, Loughborough University in the UK initiated a project on 3D Concrete Printing, headed by Richard Buswell and his team, which focused on transitioning from gantry-based technology to industrial robots[2].
This initiative led to the successful licensing of the robotic technology to Skanska in 2014, culminating in the unveiling of two buildings with integrated 3D-printed components in 2015[2].
Additive Manufacturing (AM) in construction also saw pivotal advancements with contributions from Joseph Pegna in 1997, who introduced the automatic operation of incrementally building up layers of structure[3]. Behrokh Khoshnevis further advanced the field in 2003 with his development of large-scale 3D objects using Contour Crafting technology[3]. Richard Buswell continued to innovate by enhancing free-form printing processes to construct irregular-shaped panels in 2008[3].
2024 Technology
Today, the 3D printing sector in construction is divided between traditional gantry machines and newer technologies utilizing freestanding robot arms, which offer increased build sizes while maintaining a small machine footprint[4].
See the article on 3D Concrete Printers by Twente Additive Manufacturing
The potential applications of 3D printing technology in construction are vast, promising significant advancements in sustainability and efficiency[5][6]. Notable achievements include the world's first fully functional 3D-printed concrete bridge, the MX3D Bridge in Amsterdam, which exemplifies the innovative capabilities and technological prowess in this field[7]; and the first 3D printed house in Canada with a design based on the Fibonacci sequence (see the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reRVKJeSPag)