This engineer has a concrete plan for recycling plastics
Written by: Elle Hardy
Publish Date: January 19, 2021
3D-printed concrete inspired by lobsters and a car park made of recycled plastic are two of the big ideas Dr Jonathan Tran, Senior Lecturer in Structured Materials and Design at RMIT’s School of Engineering has for the circular economy.
“3D concrete printing technology has real potential to revolutionise the construction industry, and our aim is to bring that transformation closer,” he said.
Concrete is second only to water as the most widely used substance on earth. But it comes at a cost — if concrete were a country, it would be behind China and the United States as the largest carbon dioxide emitter in the world.
Digital manufacturing technology such as 3D concrete printing (3DCP) has the potential to save time and materials in construction, as well as push the boundaries of architectural innovation.
The key technical challenge for engineers is making 3DCP strong enough for use in free-form structures. In a new experimental study, Tran and his research team looked at this problem with special 3D-printing patterns, inspired by the natural strength of lobster shells.
“Our study explores how different printing patterns affect the structural integrity of 3D printed concrete, and for the first time reveals the benefits of a bio-inspired approach in 3DCP,” he said.
About the Author
This article is written by Elle Hardy
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