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3D print for cast-in-place concrete
Cast-in-place Freeform Concrete with Big Area AdditiveManufacturing Formwork
Ming Tang, Noah Shroyer. Cast-in-place Freeform Concrete with Big Area AdditiveManufacturing Formwork. International Journal of Architecture, Engineering and ConstructionVol 10, No 2, Vol 10, No 2 (2021) 1-9
Abstract: Parametric design and digital fabrication give precise control in the design and materialization of complex geometric forms. Large-scale additive manufacturing machines can fabricate digitally generated architectural forms quickly and economically at full scale. However, their application in building construction has been limited. Through a case study, this paper examines integrating parametric design with material and constructed reality through 3D printed formwork for cast-in-place concrete. The following details are presented: (1) creating a parametric model capable of designing, testing, and manipulating the customized freeform in response to construction and material constraints, (2) fabrication method of big area additive manufacturing of formwork with carbon fiber-reinforced acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastic, and (3) construction process (studying material behavior, testing the formwork, and the final onsite concrete cast)
This project was supported by the computation team led by Ming Tang, the design team led by Jose Garcia Design, the structural engineering team led by Pinnacle EngineeringInc, formwork and fabrication led by Cincinnati Incorporated. The project was constructed by the general contractor Jose Garcia Construction. The rebar shop fabrication was provided by Artistic Ironworks.
Video from Cincinnati Incorporated
Book available: MetroLAB
MetroLAB is a public-interest design/build program at the University of Cincinnati School of Architecture and Interior Design. This book highlights the mission, participants and projects from 2011-2017. The book is available for preview / order at Blurb.
Prof Tang’s ITSC RENOVATION project is featured in the book. This Metro Lab studio addressed the renovation of an existing interior space in the Information Technology Solution Center (ITSC) on the UC west campus. ITSC is an initiative of the School of Information Technology (SoIT) at the College of Education, Criminal Justice, Human Services and Information Technology (CECH), combining student workers with experienced full-time staff to create innovative technology solutions and reliable support. The objective of the renovation is to create a new high-tech look and an identity for the center and meet the growing needs for client meetings, demonstrations as well as for the staff of ITSC to produce their work.
The proposed design includes new interior surfaces, furniture, and other interior elements. The team also need to complete all fabrications and assembling job within a limited $9,000 budget. The SAID design-build team utilized the cutting-edge computer-aided design (CAD) tools as well as computer-aided manufacture (CAM) tools and completed the entire project under the budget in only thirteen weeks.
In the design phase, students were required to develop a sequence of iterations to reflect the interior surface tessellation and optimization process of plywood panels. Parametric design software Rhino and grasshopper were used to form a network of triangular shapes and optimized the orientation of each panel based on the material performance and the relation to the daylight. This process created a smooth transition between frame-like panels to solid sheet panels. Later, the similar tessellation approach was used to create the table. The same triangular pattern is adjusted to achieve desired aesthetics on the new partition walls.
The inputs for the CAM pipeline include cutting patterns, panel anchor points, labels, and sheet layout while the outputs are sets of flatted triangular panels ready for CNC milling in the rapid prototyping center at DAAP. In the final assembling, fifty-two different wood panels were installed precisely on the wall.
Check more details on Prof. Tang’s MetroLAB studio here.
ITSC renovation project
ITSC Interior Renovation. MetroLab Studio ARCH7005, summer 2016.
Students: Mark Specker, Michael Czmiel, Adam Sambuco, Mary Cassidy, Megha Dubey, Mackenzie Grause, Kristin Plummer, Nicole Ridder, Han Shen, Jonathan Tomko
Faculty: Ming Tang
Client: ITSC, School of Information Technology.
Thanks for the support from
School of Architecture and Interior Design, DAAP.
School of Information Technology, CECH
UC Metro Lab, UCRI
Advisor: Xiangwei Zhao, Mei Zhao, Shubber Falah, Chang Di, Yingdong Hu. Volunteer: Benjamin Zhang
paper shelter installation
paper tube pyramid structure, with students from ARCH3014 SP15, and SAID2013 FA15 courses. Structure design: Jacob Anderson, Benjamin Blake, Caleb Lang.
