Britain will use concrete 3D printing technology to build rail transport network

In early August 2021, the contractor for the London terminal of the UK’s upcoming High Speed ​​2 (HS2) railway network revealed that they intend to use it in construction from next year.3D printing.In this project
architecture
The company uses a technology called “Printfrastructure” to build concrete slabs on site, instead of transporting materials there before starting construction like the traditional model.

This technology has achieved continuous tunnel construction while avoiding the problem of restricted lines. The trial will begin in 2022, and we will also see the use of graphene-filled concrete instead of steel bars in some areas, which may make the construction of the line faster and more sustainable than before.
Andrew Duck, the engineering manager who contracted the SCS JV project, said: “Printfrastructure’s reinforced concrete3D printingThe achieved automation creates a factory-like environment and provides high-quality products. It is important that we give a technology like Printfrastructure a chance to flourish, because it provides the industry with the possibility of step-by-step changes.This new type of environmentally friendly3D printingThe construction method not only improves the efficiency of the use of materials, but also reduces our carbon emissions. “

In the past 20 years, rail travel in the UK has more than doubled. Although more than £74 billion has been invested in improving the rail network, the rail network has been unable to keep up with demand. Although it is possible to solve the problem of overcrowding through further upgrades, it is estimated that this will result in 2,700 weekend closures in the next 15 years, which will have a significant impact on travel across the country.

In order to avoid this situation, the United Kingdom
transportation
The Ministry established a company called HS2 in 2009 with the purpose of establishing a line with a daily capacity of 300,000 to connect London with northern cities such as Manchester and Leeds. However, since its inception, the project has been criticized for causing damage, has not reached the original scope, and the budget has been increasing, which is said to have exceeded 44 billion pounds.

To make matters worse, the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic has delayed the construction of many HS2 sites, which is said to have also cost the project an emergency budget of £1.7 billion and requires more funds in the future.In view of HS2’s mistakes, HS2 decided to adopt3D printingTechnology can now be seen as an attempt to get the project back on track, especially considering the speed and automation potential of the technology.

SCS JV is a joint venture of Skanska, Costain and STRABAG, responsible for the construction of the HS2 London tunnel, and has now turned to ChangeMaker 3D and its technology to optimize this process.The new construction technology called “Printfrastructure” is a proprietary process of HS2, which involves the use of computer-controlled robots to install3D printingMachine to precisely create the specifications of complex concrete structures.

It is generally believed that once deployed at HS2’s London terminal site, these robots will be able to enter areas where other processes are physically restricted and cannot be operated, reducing the need for complex and expensive logistics plans. The automated nature of the ChangeMaker 3D program also makes it possible to reduce any construction-induced travel interruptions, as services usually have to be suspended to ensure worker safety.

In addition, as an added benefit, the contractor expects that the technology will be able to create an internal mesh structure, which not only serves as a reinforcement but also uses less material.With this in mind, the contractors are also working with Versarien to integrate graphene into3D printingIn concrete, it may enable them to reduce the carbon emissions of the entire project.

In the end, SCS JV believes that the deployment of ChangeMaker3D technology can reduce the concrete and carbon emissions of the tunnel by up to 50%.More importantly, the company believes that due to the removal of steel from the construction process and reduced reliance on fuel-guzzling trucks, the adoption of3D printingTechnology can help its entire operations become more eco-friendly.

Rob Cairns, Innovation Manager of HS2, said: “The project that SCS JV and ChangeMaker 3D are working together is a wonderful proof of the profound innovation that HS2 has achieved.” With a construction plan spanning ten years and across the country, the project is creating An ideal environment to develop technologies that have the potential to change the way major infrastructure is built. “

Compared with traditional construction technology,3D printingTechnology can unleash greater geometric customization capabilities, make the structure powerful, and use less materials to achieve it.In the last month alone, several projects have put this idea into practice, including an unsupported project by engineers from the Block Research Group of ETH Zurich.3D printingbridge.

At the same time, researchers from the UTS School of Architecture in Australia cooperated with the design company BVN Construction to develop an environmentally friendly robot3D printingAir conditioning device. The “Coral Reef 2.0” system is made of recyclable plastic and consists of interconnected filter tubes that can help reduce the amount of carbon in existing equipment by up to 90%.
Aectual, a construction company from the Netherlands, has adopted a similar approach to sustainable development, successfully turning the trash on the beach into a unique3D printing “Mussels” plant stand. These plant supports are made of 100% recycled plastic and are now sold as a limited edition on Sabato’s website, with the purpose of bringing the “natural beach feel” into people’s homes.

(Editor in charge: admin)