Work package 4
Advanced Additive Manufacturing for Enhanced Structural Components
Starting Month: 13/48
Lead Beneficiary : UOA
Objectives: WP4 aims to explore the synergy of wastes and additive materials developing advanced manufacturing techniques to enhance the adaptability, durability, and sustainability of construction materials and components. The work package focuses on the identification of smart compositions with self-healing and other smart features, the advancement of 3D/4D printing technologies for construction applications, the development of AM processes for reusing metal materials, and benchmarking these advanced manufacturing techniques against industry standards.
Description of Work: The needs of WP4 will be carried out through the following parts that are composed by various tasks:
Task 4.1. Investigation for Smart Materials for Enhanced Adaptability and Durability (Leader: UOA, PM=19.0M): The focus is on identifying and enhancing materials that can respond to environmental stimuli (e.g., temperature, moisture, stress) and exhibit self-healing or shape-memory features, thereby extending their lifespan and utility in construction applications. Experimentation with material formulations and composites that integrate waste materials and novel additives for 'smart' behaviour will be conducted, validating the adaptability and durability of these materials under various environmental conditions. FEA will be also conducted to simulate the performance of composite materials that integrate additives for smart behaviour under various loading and environmental conditions. Role of Participants: UOA: Leads the research into smart materials, overseeing the exploration of material properties, adaptability, and potential for construction applications. JUST: Collaborate in providing real-world data and requirements for smart material applications in construction, supporting experimental validation. ACU: Leads the computational modeling and simulation efforts, applying FEA and CFD to design and analyse smart materials. INS: Contribution in data analytics.
Task 4.2. Concrete 3D/4D printing technologies for circular construction applications (Leader NTUA, PM=19.0M): Advancement of 3D/4D printing techniques by refining the process parameters for different material composites to ensure consistent and predictable behaviour of the printed objects over time. Utilization of dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and other rheological testing methods will be performed to assess the durability and time-dependent properties of materials and their performance in simulated construction environments. Role of Participants: NTUA: Leads the task with its expertise in AM, overseeing the development of new 3D/4D printing techniques and conducting material tests. UOA: Develops and refines 4D printing processes, focusing on the adaptability and functionality of printed construction components. AIDIGITS& JUST: Investigates and optimizes smart materials for 4D printing, ensuring they meet the demands of construction applications and exhibit desired adaptive behaviors.
Task 4.3. Development of Additive Manufacturing Processes for Reused Metal Materials (Leader: UOA, PM=19.0M): This task will develop a process for converting reused metal components into fine powders suitable for 3D printing. The process will employ advanced atomization techniques such as gas or water atomization to disintegrate the metal. The resulting powder will be characterized for particle size distribution, flowability, and density to ensure its suitability for 3D printing. The task will also investigate the optimization of the atomization parameters to maximize yield and powder quality. The goal is to create a sustainable cycle of material usage by transforming waste or end-of-life metal components into valuable raw materials for new construction components. Role of Participants: UOA: Leads AM process and guides the technical aspects of atomization. NTUA: Conducts experiments to determine the optimal printing parameters for the new materials and assess the mechanical properties of the printed components. INS: Performs LCA to compare the sustainability of this approach with traditional material sourcing and disposal methods.
Task 4.4. Benchmarking Advanced Manufacturing Against Industry Standards (Leader: USTUTT, PM=9.0M): The objective is to compare the new techniques with established practices and identify areas for improvement and innovation, ensuring that the advanced manufacturing methods viable, competitive, and aligned with industry expectations. Role of Participants: USTUTT: Takesthe lead in benchmarking activities, utilizing its data analytics capabilitiesto evaluate the performance of advanced manufacturing techniques developed in the project and implementing quality control models like Total Quality Management (TQM). BUILTCOLAB&POLITO: Assists in integrating the benchmarking results into BIM platforms, ensuring that the advanced manufacturing techniques are represented accurately and can be easily adopted by industry professionals.