Abstract
The rising awareness and usage of Building Information Modelling (BIM), a methodology that allows for better information management and communication amongst the several stakeholders of a building project, opened the construction sector's door to digital fabrication tools that for years have been applied in many highly productive industries. 3D printing (3DP), unlike the conventional construction process that showed no signs of progress over the past decades, has already proven to be an interesting technology for Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC), enabling important economic, environmental and constructability advantages, such as a reduction in building time and waste, mass customization and complex architectural shapes. Consequently, universities alongside companies worldwide, are now developing and applying 3DP to building construction. However, with the growing adoption of new technologies in AEC, new challenges arise that must be overcome in order to guarantee the buildings' correct performance. Therefore, this paper presents a literature review conducted to highlight new developments regarding the building physics and comfort of additively manufactured structures. The research revealed that the focus so far was guaranteeing printability, structural soundness, safety and durability, which means that there are still key requirements to be met, including fire resistance and adequate hygrothermal and acoustic behaviour.
Highlights
In the last decade, the economic context of the AEC sector has declined considerably
Investment on Innovation and Research & Development (R&D) in the AEC sector is rather low compared to the manufacturing industry in general, which is why it is mainly characterised by its resistance to adopt new technologies and modern management and operation processes
In this paper the different technologies that are being adapted for the AEC sector are identified, the 3D printing (3DP) concept and the advantages that may come from its use in building construction are mentioned, and questions related with the building physics of these structures are addressed, as well as what has been studied in this regard so far
Summary
The economic context of the AEC sector has declined considerably. The changing demography is leading to a declining labour force with more people retiring than younger people interested in being a part of the workforce This tendency follows the current negative perception associated with employment in the AEC sector, which is considered less prestigious than in other areas of engineering, due, among other reasons, to the crisis in the industry, its overall poor image and the unattractive conditions of entrance into the labour market [2, 3]. The construction industry is complex and multifaceted, carrying upstream of its production chain the extractive industry, as the largest consumer of raw materials in the EU, and the manufacturing and distribution of construction products, and downstream of its production chain real estate activities [5, 6] It is considered one of the main drivers of.
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