3D printed bridge
In Spain, the first pedestrian bridge printed in 3D in the world (3DBRIDGE) was inaugurated 14th of December of 2016 in the urban park of Castilla-La Mancha in Alcobendas, Madrid.
The 3DBUILD technology used was developed by ACCIONA, who was in charge of the structural design, material development and manufacturing of 3D printed elements. The bridge has a total length of 12 m and a width of 1.75 m, and was printed in micro-reinforced concrete.
Architectural design was done by Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC). The 3D printer used to build the footbridge was manufactured by D-Shape.
The 3D printed bridge was developed through parametric design, which allows the optimisation of material distribution and minimises the amount of waste by recycling the raw material during manufacture. The computational design also allows the structural performance to be maximised, thanks to the application of generative algorithms and challenging the traditional techniques of construction.
The project, led by ACCIONA, was developed by a multidisciplinary team of architects, mechanical engineers, structural engineers and representatives of the municipal administration, among them Enrico Dini, an expert inventor in large-scale 3D manufacturing and IAAC collaborator.
Content and images courtesy of IAAC.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Net zero electricity grids BSRIA guide NZG 5/2024
Outlining the changes needed to transition to net zero.
CIOB Global Student Challenge 2024
Universitas Indonesia wins for second year running.
New project and cultural district described in detail.
The nature of EPCs, crticism and inaccuracies.
History, issues and redesign.
From waste recycling to energy performance the hierchy.
An introduction to WERCS and WEEE responsibilities
Dealing 2 million tonnes of waste equipment a year.
Global BACS Market: analytics and optimisation
A BSRIA glance at building automation and control systems.
What it is and how to use it.
Types of insulating plaster by binder and insulant.
Investors in People: CIOB achieves gold
Reflecting a commitment to employees and members.
Scratching beneath the surface; a guide to selection.
ECA 2024 Apprentice of the Year Award
Entries open for submission until May 31.
UK gov apprenticeship funding from April 2024
Brief summary the policy paper updated in March.
For the World Autism Awareness Month of April.
Comments
The bridge is certainly horrible