Introduction
In recent years profound changes in the manufactory industry collimate with the growing interest in 3D printing technologies, resulting in the exploration of a wide range of different materials and applications. The latest development of large-scale AM techniques supported the research in such domains as design, construction and architecture: as a result, computer-aided design and 3D printed fabrication of articulated multiscale structures is one of the most complex tasks of modern civil engineering.
Goal
The main goal in exploiting this type of technology lies in ensuring new freedoms, in stylistic terms, while at the same time allowing new functional and aesthetic properties (usually referring to the concept of structural Freeform). AM technologies are expected to revolutionize the concrete construction industry mainly due to the following reasons:
- freedom in terms of the design of shapes (enabling new aesthetic and functional features)
- reduction in construction time and expenses
- improved worker safety
- better quality and reliability
- material savings, and, consequently, sustainability
