Lightweight reinforced concrete slabs with integrated 3D printed formwork

3D printing with concrete intergrated in common casting processes, allow for a renaissance of complex load-bearing structures like introduced by Nervi and Favini in the 1960s and 1970s.
3D printed concrete formwork as voids in combination with in-situ concrete in slabs gives this typology a second go. Tailored design for lightweight slabs and roofs has been developed and implemented in construction projects in progress. To test the load-bearing capacity and serviceability of the design, a prototype was tested in a large-scale bending test. Further tests demonstrate good fire resistance and the excellent adhesive bond between the printed concrete and the poured concrete. In addition to the design aspects the positive effects on the global warming potential of concrete structures compared to the current construction method is highlighted.
The presented building projects stand for a sustainable approach to reinforced concrete, which, among design aspects, relies on economic and logistic issues, resource-saving and digital manufacturing methods.