KNUBA develops concrete for 3D printing of buildings using debris from destroyed structures

Scientists from the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture (KNUBA) together with partners have begun implementing an international project to create innovative concrete mixtures using waste, in particular, destroyed structures, for construction using the 3D printing method and the traditional method, the KNUBA press service reports.

The release reports that within the framework of the project on the development of new approaches and structural materials for the restoration of damaged infrastructure of Ukraine taking into account environmental sustainability, researchers are developing the composition of a concrete mixture with the addition of materials that are formed as a result of the destruction of buildings, and other industrial and agricultural waste.

Housing restoration in Ukraine requires the introduction of universal rapid construction technologies that allow for the construction of sustainable and affordable buildings even in conditions of limited resources. Many buildings in Ukraine have been destroyed by the war. The remains of concrete structures can be effectively recycled and used to build new housing. 3D printing of buildings compared to traditional construction methods can provide higher construction rates, significantly less human resource use, as well as savings in materials and energy.

The project is co-financed by the US Office of Naval Research and the US National Science Foundation (NSF). The research is being conducted within the framework of the multilateral partnership initiative "International Multilateral Partnership for Resilient Education and Science System in Ukraine (IMPRESS-U)", launched by the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) of the US National Science Foundation with the involvement of researchers from the American Stony Brook University and the Jan and Jędrzej Sniadeckich Bydgoszcz Polytechnic in Poland.

The duration of the project is two years.

At KNUBA, the implementation of this project is entrusted to teachers, graduate students, and students of the Faculty of Construction Technology, in particular, the Department of Construction Materials and the Department of Technology of Construction Structures and Products.