UC Berkeley

Recent advances in additive manufacturing and robotic fabrication have had a profound influence on the architectural design field, giving rise to novel design opportunities and viable construction applications. The integration of these technologies is transforming the construction industry, reducing costs, improving construction efficiency, and addressing important limitations of traditional manufacturing methods.

Despite the substantial potential of additive manufacturing as a groundbreaking tool in architecture and construction, it remains underutilized. Most importantly, when applied on a large scale, additive manufacturing encounters significant geometric constraints inherent in the nature of the viscous and cementitious materials being employed. Extruded materials cannot sustain high tensile forces in their wet state and are susceptible to deformation. 

To address these design limitations and fabrication challenges, this thesis focuses on broadening the capabilities of additive manufacturing in the architectural design field through novel experimental developments at the hardware, software, material, and process levels. Situated at the nexus of architectural design, engineering, computation, and robotic fabrication, the thesis investigates, formulates, and evaluates innovative models and processes that utilize non-planar 3D printing and innovative formwork integration solutions to expand current technological capabilities. The research examines a variety of inventive support solutions, highlighting three key strategies: formwork reduction, alternative formwork approaches, and formwork elimination.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approaches, the research initially focuses on developing task-specific processes and tools. This focus includes the introduction of an innovative additive manufacturing technique that aims to utilize bending-active structures as formwork for conformal 3D printing. This new approach significantly mitigates material waste without compromising structural integrity.

The research then investigates alternative approaches to free-form 3D printing using granular materials as both a temporary formwork and an efficient alternative to conventional 3D printing materials. The research led to the development of a novel technique that utilizes recycled granular materials to rapidly construct unsupported 3D printed forms, capitalizing on abundant waste resources. Additionally, drawing inspiration from historic precedents, the research proposes a method that entirely eliminates the need for formwork, referencing ancient construction techniques and adapting time-tested principles to modern additive manufacturing contexts.

The newly developed tools and processes undergo testing throughout the research and are then subjected to benchmarking against conventional methods as well as against each other. The thesis concludes with a reflection on its contributions and the future outlook of the presented work. It also encourages the next generation of researchers and designers to expand upon the presented work.