ADDITIVE TO PREDICTIVE MANUFACTURING FOR MULTISTOREY CONSTRUCTION USING LEARNING BY PRINTING AND NETWORKED ROBOTICS

Introduction

The negative environmental impact of construction, effects of global climate change, global housing shortage, and rising labor costs due to a shortage of skilled workers are driving the construction industry to question traditional construction methods and push the limits of innovation. In this quest, additive manufacturing (AM) technology, in particular 3D concrete printing (3DCP), is gaining ground in the construction industry to respond to the urgent demand for acceleration and digitization.

Importance of 3D Concrete Printing

The method of automating construction by reading digital models of buildings is undoubtedly key for the construction industry to achieve environmental sustainability, cost reduction, and realize complex shaped designs. 3DCP is thus well suited to adopting digital technologies and automating construction.

Vision of AM2PM

The vision of AM2PM is to transform the traditional construction site for multistorey buildings into a digital and sustainable site of the future with a 50% reduction in material use and embodied carbon. This is in line with the EU Green Deal, New European Bauhaus, and EU Digital Strategy to mitigate climate change and reduce carbon emissions.

Paradigm Shift in Construction

AM2PM will introduce a paradigm shift in the application of AM in construction through a comprehensive system-of-systems approach that intertwines:

1. Multi-agent human-robotic systems that work collaboratively on site in a well-coordinated and safe manner.
2. Computational design of components considering buildability and environmental efficiency.
3. Design of the requisite sustainable cementitious materials using granular recycled and locally available material.
4. AI models to predict and control the manufacturing process.
5. The digital twin construction information backbone that enables cohesive operation of the design and production system as a whole.

Expected Outcomes

The result would be transformational, achieving a 50% reduction in material use, reducing embodied CO2 by up to 29 million tons, and potentially saving over €11 billion annually.