School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Ph.D. Thesis Defense Announcement

Towards Low-Cost, Low-Carbon Residential Construction 3D Printing

By Katy Bradford

Advisors:

Dr. Kimberly Kurtis & Dr. Russell Gentry

Committee Members:  

Dr. Lauren Stewart (Civil & Environmental Engineering)

Dr. Rick Neu (Mechanical Engineering)

Dr. Lola Ben-Alon (Architecture - Columbia University)

Date and Time:  11am-12pm on August 5, 2024

Location:SEB 122 

teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join

Construction 3D printing (C3DP) has gained prevalence in the residential construction industry due to its potential to condense construction timelines through the use of automation. In the face of an affordable housing crisis in many countries around the world, the inhibiting effects of labor shortages and lagging productivity on new housing construction could be alleviated with this digital fabrication method. However, the most common materials used in C3DP at this time are cement mortars and concrete, which typically have a high carbon footprint in comparison to the most common residential construction material in the U.S., wood framing. Building construction currently represents 9% of global carbon emissions, largely due to the production of concrete and steel. A greater understanding of the environmental impact of implementing C3DP, therefore, is necessary to prevent further escalation of climate impacts from the building construction sector. This research uncovers the embodied carbon, embodied energy, and upfront costs of C3DP in comparison to more common housing construction methods, including wood framing and concrete masonry. Existing alternatives to cement-based materials for C3DP are analyzed through material selection using Ashby plots, which allow for the evaluation of multiple material properties with a design application in mind. A set of criteria is then established for the development of sustainable and cost-effective materials for the implementation of C3DP in sustainable, affordable housing construction.