Additive Manufacturing in the Construction Industry: The Comparative Competitiveness of 3D Concrete Printing

Siavash H Khajavi,Yiwei Weng,Mingyang Li,Ashish Mohite,Antti Peltokorpi,Müge Tetik,Jan Holmström

doi:10.3390/app11093865

Siavash H Khajavi, Yiwei Weng + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/app11093865

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Abstract

The construction industry is facing increasing pressure to improve productivity and decrease its environmental impact. Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, especially three-dimensional concrete printing (3DCP) technology, have provided many benefits for construction. However, holistic comparative studies of the competitiveness of 3DCP and conventional methods, from cost and time perspectives, are lacking. Choosing between the methods is difficult for practitioners. In this study, we investigated the current state of 3DCP in the construction industry using seven distinct scenarios. Our analysis was performed to illustrate the impact of design and supply chain configurations on performance. The results prove the notable competitiveness of 3DCP. In contrast to the conventional construction method, the more complex round design had a positive impact on the cost and process time in 3DCP scenarios. Additionally, we show that on-site 3DCP using a robotic arm was more cost-effective than off-site 3DCP.

Highlights

The construction industry is estimated to comprise 13% of the global GDP and has been growing at a rate of 6% over the last five years due to rapid urbanization in countries such as China [1]
While various aspects of human life have been transformed by digitalization during the last 30 years, and industries have been overhauled through digital transformations or even replaced by their digital versions, the construction industry is known to be lagging behind most other modern industries in terms of digitalization and productivity improvements [2]
The construction industry, which is among the industries with the least amount of digitalization, can significantly benefit from digitalized solutions

Summary

Introduction

The construction industry is estimated to comprise 13% of the global GDP and has been growing at a rate of 6% over the last five years due to rapid urbanization in countries such as China [1]. Even a modest improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of the construction industry can have significant implications for the global economy and the world population. Digital transformation might hold the key to such necessary change in the construction industry. While various aspects of human life have been transformed by digitalization during the last 30 years, and industries have been overhauled through digital transformations or even replaced by their digital versions (e.g., the retail and travel industries), the construction industry is known to be lagging behind most other modern industries in terms of digitalization and productivity improvements [2]. The industry has not yet experienced a sizable digital disruption, unlike many other industries

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