Force Flow Compliant Robotic Path Planning Approach for Reinforced Concrete Elements Using SC3DP

This paper presents a robotic path planning approach for additively manufactured reinforced concrete components using Shotcrete-3D-Printing Technology (SC3DP). The aim is to optimally match the concrete paths and reinforcement arrangement to the compression and tension trajectories. Typically, 3D printers can control three axes, which means that the material is built up in horizontal layers. In 3D concrete printing, this restricts the integration of reinforcement, as well as the integration of other component functions. The novel approach uses the spatial freedom of the robot-assisted SC3DP technology. The planning of the concrete paths is adjusted to the integration of the reinforcement during the printing process (concrete supports reinforcement). By curving the concrete pathways threedimensionally, the reinforcement can be optimally arranged along the tensile stress trajectories, without additional support reinforcement for positioning. In this paper, the novel approach is demonstrated on a single span beam under uniform loading. Cut carbon fibre fabrics are used as reinforcement. The paper gives an overview of the used machine setup, technical parameters and abilities of the combined technologies.