3D printing for earth construction - review

Abstract

Concrete is the second frequently used material in our planet. Being the most consumed construction material for infrastructures and buildings, the demand for concrete is very high at present and expected to have the same significance in the future. On the other hand, conventional concrete could not be considered as an environmentally friendly construction material. This comes from the perspectives of reducing natural resources, high energy consumption, and produce a huge amounts of construction waste. 3D printing construction with earth materials provide the potential solutions to reshape the construction world and answering the current demands of sustainability, energy efficiency and cost in construction. This paper presents a review of 3D printed constructions made from earth materials benefits, limitations and current applications.