Brick by Brick: The Future of 3D Concrete Printing

As construction technology continues to evolve, students in the Printing Structures Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) team at Stony Brook University are working at the intersection of materials, mechanics and automation to build on previous cohorts' printer development by testing the system and creating sustainable 3D-printable concrete mixtures.

Designed to be both a research and educational tool, the project challenges students to rethink how structures can be built, shifting away from traditional construction methods and exploring more unconventional approaches to construction. What began as a technical project has grown into something more exploratory, giving students the opportunity to explore how structures can be designed, tested, and brought to life.

Marija Krstic, assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, leads the Printing Structures VIP team with a focus on the design, development, and optimization of an intermediate-scale 3D concrete printer. The project began several years ago as a student-driven initiative without a specific real-world application, with earlier teams building the printer from the ground up.

Alongside this effort, Krstic also leads a separate NSF-funded project with Alexander Orlov, professor of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, focused on 3D-printed sustainable shelters in Ukraine using locally demolished materials, in collaboration with partners in Poland and Ukraine. While the projects are distinct, Krstic aligned the two efforts to give students hands-on experience.

"I aligned the two efforts so students could gain meaningful experience: we developed proper printing code, tested all equipment, and worked extensively on 3DCP mixtures. These mixtures incorporate various supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), recycled aggregates, and chemical admixtures," said Kristic.

A significant aspect of the project involves developing viable concrete mixtures that can be successfully printed while maintaining structural integrity. The team experiments with a range of materials, including supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), recycled aggregates, and chemical admixtures, to optimize both performance and sustainability. These mixtures must strike a balance between fluidity to be extruded through the system and stability to hold their shape once deposited.

3D concrete printing is already being explored for applications such as rapid construction and temporary shelters.

"I wouldn't say it works everywhere, but for shelters and quick projects it can be very useful," Krstic said.

Read the complete story by Janice Huang and a Q&A with the VIP team on the CEAS Undergraduate Student Office website.