Entire houses can be built from clay or excavated earth. The material is cheap, abundant, and sustainable as it does not require cement. However, existing building methods are very labor-intensive, slow and therefore expensive.
ETH Zurich researchers have now developed a fast robotic printing process for earth-based materials that does not require cement. In what is known as "impact printing," a robot shoots material from above, gradually building a wall. On impact, the parts bond together, and very minimal additives are required.
Unlike concrete 3D printing, the process does not require any pauses during which the material can solidify. A mixture of excavated materials, silt, and clay is currently used.
Citation: Video: Printing with earth-based materials (2024, October 8) retrieved 8 October 2024 from https://techxplore.com/news/2024-10-video-earth-based-materials.html
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