Despite the dramatic development in the digital manufacturing technologies in the recent years, 3D printing of earth materials, such as cob, still faces several challenges to be adopted widely on an industrial level, specially when compared to 3D concrete printing. There have been increasing efforts in the recent years to improve the applicability/ feasibility of 3DP earth materials in construction, however, the progress is still slow and scattered. Hence, I am wondering, how do the research community perceive the future of the 3DP of earth-based materials in construction.
Because the building is made of different components, the house will have many problems with 3D printing. 3D printing is suitable for building houses from a type of material such as making biocompatible houses from clay.
Thanks Steve. Yes, this work aligns with my PhD research. I am glad to see more institutions are considering this fusion between digital technologies and earthen materials.