Displaying items by tag: construction

China: China Building Materials Academy (CBMA) has patented a new 3D printing method which uses short rebars to reinforce printed layers. The developer says that this will enable builders to ensure structural strength without the disruption caused to 3D printing by the long rebars of conventional building skeletons.

CBMA said that "An inverted U-shaped or inverted L-shaped short rebar is vertically inserted into the cement slurry layer, wherein the bending mechanism comprises two bending members, separately disposed on two sides of a clamp."

Austria: PERI and STRABAG have used a COBOD 3D printer to successfully build Europe’s first 3D printed office building in Hausleiten, Lower Austria.

PERI board member for innovation and marketing Thomas Imbacher said "The building in Hausleiten is a milestone for STRABAG, for PERI, for all involved. We are convinced that 3D printing of buildings will be part of the future of construction, as this technology offers solutions for challenges that are currently occupying our industry: digitalisation, efficiency, shortage of skilled workers and much more."

US: COBOD says that construction of the largest 3D printed building in the US using its 3D printing technology has commenced at a site in Houston, Texas. The building is the country’s first two-storey residential building constructed using the method. PERI handled the order for contractor CIVE and architect HANNAH.

CIVE president Hachem Domloj said “Having the opportunity to be the engineers and general contractor for the first two-storey 3D printed structure in the US has been an honour. We can see how this technology and our team’s approach is providing the scalability to larger commercial developments. Collectively, we're changing the way our country builds, and paving the way for more affordable housing, higher structural integrity and faster building capabilities. The possibilities of 3D printing are endless!”

Europe: Cemex has reported its success in a trial of zero-CO₂ emissions concrete mixer trucks across its operations in France, Germany and Poland. The trial implemented Germany-based Putzmeister’s IONTRON E-Mixer prototype trucks and mobile charging stations. Cemex was able to recharge the vehicles from 20% battery in eight hours. This will enable it to maintain its supply of concrete to construction sites during their operating hours.

Cemex Europe’s mobile equipment fleet and category manager Craig Hooper said “Transport is one of the key areas where Cemex is striving to reduce carbon emissions. Our company is constantly looking for new, more environmentally-friendly transport solutions, hence the decision to conduct extensive pilot studies to verify the possibilities offered by electric concrete mixers. The positive results of the trials in Europe now allow us to think positively about the potential implementation of these vehicles, which will bring Cemex closer to achieving its climate goals.”

Australia/Canada: Fortex and Nidus3D have won contracts to become Denmark-based COBOD’s distribution partners for the Australian and Canadian markets respectively. Nidus3D previously printed a multi-unit residential building, the first of its kind in North America, using COBOD’s 3D printing equipment. Meanwhile, the supplier says that its first BOD2 3D printer available on the Australian market will arrive there in late 2022.

Regarding the Australian contract with Fortex, COBOD noted that it will make its equipment available on six different continents.

Spain: Cemex España has supplied concrete from its Vertua Plus range for the construction of an 81-home housing development in Madrid. The estate, called Torrejón Park, will be Spain’s first to be built entirely from Vertua reduced-CO₂ cement. Cemex España says that the products used offer 50 – 70% lower CO2¬ emissions than ordinary concrete. Developer Neinor Homes will additionally recover over 80% of construction waste for recycling.

Chile: Mexico-based Cemex has announced an investment by its venture capital subsidiary Cemex Ventures in concrete monitoring software supplier ObraLink. ObraLink’s software uses advanced thermal imaging to monitor the concrete hardening process at up to three times more measurement points than similar sensors, at a fraction of the cost. By enabling builders to remove formwork or moulds at precisely the right time, the software can reduce a project’s structural costs by 15%, according to the supplier. Its integrated platform automates the process, offering additional features via APIs.

Cemex Ventures head Gonzalo Galindo said "As pioneers in the construction industry's digital transformation, our mission is to seek innovative solutions that help boost productivity and efficiency. ObraLink's scalable technology is a perfect fit with Cemex's service offering, as it digitalises a currently manual process, improving both the efficiency of execution and completion time of a project. We look forward to working with them to further scale and develop the solution so we can deliver a superior customer experience enabled by digital technologies.”