Students from the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM) were able to create sustainable concrete with impressive results in the first tests
And Brazil stands out once again with science! Students at the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM) have created a new way of producing sustainable concrete using 3D printing. This technology will be studied in depth and promises to bring excellent results to the industry and civil construction sector in the coming years.
However, the students discovered that by using 3D printing, it is possible to produce a type of concrete that saves waste. In that way, he becomes more sustainable. In addition, the proportioning made by the 3D printer, in exact quantities, makes the material superior to what is used today, in terms of quality. After all, the preliminary results pointed to a much superior performance of this new concrete in relation to the commercial one. Want to know more about this incredible innovation? Then read on.
Understand more about this new type of concrete with the video below
After all, how does the production process of the sustainable concrete created work?
The Teaching Group for Sustainable Materials in Construction (Gemasc) is responsible for the study, within the Federal University of Santa Maria. Students point to 3D printing as an alternative to develop materials in the civil construction sector.
During the tests performed in the laboratory, the team of researchers models objects on the computer that will be made in layers of sustainable concrete. From this modeling, they test exact amounts of proportion of the materials that make up the concrete. Testing the dosages is allowing students to make a new type of concrete with very little waste, reducing the environmental impact.
“Only after this whole process, we test 3D printing, to see if it will be possible as a material used. Because each case is very unique, and we need to pay attention to a lot of details to make it all work”.
PhD student in Civil Engineering, Tuani Zat, in an interview with Jornal Diário (2022)
High-tech project is seeking funding for maintenance
The researchers claim that this technology is new in Brazil, aiming at sustainable concrete. However, in other countries, some entire buildings were built using large 3D printers, but without the concern for the environment. For now, the project is carried out only on a laboratory scale, due to the lack of infrastructure and sufficient material for large-scale projects.
In this way, the group from the Federal University of Santa Maria, has sought new partnerships in order to make this a process of application in industry and civil construction in Brazil. After all, the technology is promising and the results are impressive in terms of the resistance and durability of the material.
Paulo Matos, the project coordinator, points out that funding is needed mainly for the development of the robotics sector involved in the project. After all, many parts need to be imported and if any company in the field partnered up, it could produce and make the study cheaper.
There are many open possibilities, since as all companies in this field are foreign, it would bring the appeal of having a Brazilian flag, as well as making equipment and processes cheaper.
Paulo Matos, project coordinator, in an interview with Portal Diário (2022).
Potential applications of new concrete in industry and civil construction are multiple and offer many benefits and few disadvantages.
The use of this new sustainable concrete promises a series of benefits to the civil construction and industry sectors. Firstly, it can reduce the speed needed in construction, reduce waste produced and also manpower, in view of the large-scale use of 3D printing. In addition, the use of the printer allows the conformation of new formats to buildings, contributing to the modern architecture of cities.
However, not everything is flowers. The adoption of this new technique has only one significant disadvantage: costs. This involves both the construction and acquisition of equipment and maintenance. However, in the long run, the investment is well worth it.
