3D Pioneers Challenge 2023: Collaborative Research Centre AMC in the final round Project for automated placement of fibre reinforcement

The Collaborative Research Centre TRR 277 Additive Manufacturing in Construction (AMC) of TU Braunschweig and TU Munich has made it to the final round of the 3D Pioneers Challenge 2023 with a method for integrating individualised fibre composite reinforcement in 3D-printed concrete components. The AMC took part in the international design competition for additive manufacturing processes and advanced technologies with the project “Force Flow oriented Fibre Placement for Additive Manufacturing in Construction”.

Individualised fibre composite reinforcement is integrated into 3D-printed concrete components. Picture credits: Stefan Gantner/TU Braunschweig

To resist tensile forces, concrete needs reinforcement. Until now, the problem of integrating reinforcement has been solved by printing a mould, manually reinforcing it with steel and pouring it with conventional concrete. This process is still labour intensive, structurally inefficient and limits the geometric degrees of freedom.

The problem can be solved by automated placement of the fibre reinforcement, as researched by scientists Stefan Gantner, Philipp Rennen, Tom Rothe, Prof. Christian Hühne and Prof. Norman Hack in the project. The fibres are applied to the printed wall by a robot according to the force flow, then covered with a thin layer of shotcrete and smoothed in an automated process. Since the fibre reinforcement is not susceptible to corrosion, the required concrete cover of three centimetres can be reduced to a few millimetres, saving additional material.

The project will be exhibited at Rapid.Tech 3D from 9 to 11 May. The award ceremony will take place on May 10th at Messe Erfurt.