A very well-structured blog. From your thoughts, I agree that during and after an earthquake, providing immediate shelter is very crucial for people. To overcome this global issue, 3D printing technology can play a very significant role. It is quite a novel topic, as still many researches and debates are still going on about how quickly a shelter is being delivered during an earthquake. Here are some of the inputs which I feel can be utilized while addressing the temporary housing problem:
1. Immediate construction: huge 3D printers can quickly start building the shelters layer by layer. As the CAD file is already been made before this natural hazard, it is easy to just set the location and select the material for commencing the process of construction (Gregory, n.d.).
2. Personalized design: this natural hazard of an earthquake is not just limited to any city or country; it can occur anywhere anytime. We need a set of designs that can be used in any part of the world. For example, in cold cities, we need a structure to hold the maximum warmth inside the house (Brennecke, 2023). And for a warm humid climate, we need a set of housing that promote maximum fresh air flow and ventilation.
3. Vernacular material: as the construction technique varies from place to place, the use of material also varies. In such cases, the locally available material will decrease the cost of construction. It also minimizes the time which requires to bring the material on-site (Hughes, n.d.). The laborers also get the benefits, as they already know how the material works and how to use it for making a quick housing shelter.
With speedy urbanization, the effect of such hazards is also very threatening. However, due to technological advancement, the damage is being reduced to a certain amount. 3D printing technology is a boom and has great potential to overcome global issues. However, there are some problems that we need to tackle with this technology like housing on a huge scale, and how this construction technology can address diverse populations.
Thank you for bringing up this topic and contributing your knowledge and ideas. Great work on your literature study.
References:
1. Gregory, M. (n.d.). 3D Printing and Disaster Shelter Costs. In: S.A. Hameedaldeen, ed. 2016 Proceedings of PICMET ’16: Technology Management for Social Innovation. The USA.
2. Brennecke, T. (2023). Exploring 3D printed housing as a solution for post-disaster temporary shelters. [online] Parametric Architecture. Available at: https://parametric-architecture.com/exploring-3d-printed-housing-as-a-solution-for-post-disaster-temporary-shelters/.
3. Hughes, R.A. (n.d.). In Italy, 3D Printers Are Making Eco-Friendly Emergency Housing. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccahughes/2021/10/30/in-italy-3d-printers-are-making-eco-friendly-emergency-housing/.
Use 3D printing technology to solve the temporary housing problem after the earthquake
Background
Some time ago, a violent earthquake occurred in southern Turkey[1]. This disaster caused countless people to fall into the situation of losing their lives or homes. While feeling the brutality of the tragedy, I recalled that the earthquake that occurred in my hometown in 2008[2] also affected countless people, and I was one of them. At that time, my family and I had to leave the building and live in a place without tall buildings. I still think about the nights I spent in the cold tent. I believe this situation can actually be improved.
Fig 1:Houses destroyed in the earthquake[1]
3d printing uses and advantages and disadvantages
To improve the temporary housing situation of the victims in the disaster area, we need a house that does not require too much human resources construction, can be built quickly and can resist secondary disasters. 3D printing temporary housing might be a solution. Although small-scale 3D printing technology has become more popular, the house size is relatively large, so the study of printing houses has only begun in recent years.
Precedent
In China, some scholars have put much effort into architectural 3D printing. Professor Xu Weiguo from the School of Architecture of Tsinghua University and his team have achieved a lot of 3D-printed buildings[3]. For example, the 3D-printed concrete bookstore in Shanghai, part of the “Bridge of Art” space in Shanghai, can be used for book exhibitions, academic discussions, new book-sharing sessions, and other activities. The bookstore is modeled by Maya software, using analytical means to determine the rationality, and finally built by stacking layers with special machines. Also, in Africa, the team is printing low-income housing. Their modular design can quickly build a 40-square-meter one-story house, and the unit’s structure can be moved[3].
Fig 2:The 3D printing construction site of the Tsinghua University team[2]
Professor Xu Weiguo found in practice that one of the advantages of 3D printing architecture is high efficiency. It only takes “24 hours“[3] to build a 500 sq ft one-story home. And It also only takes a few hours to be ready before you start printing.On this basis, 3D-printed buildings produce very little waste, and with the help of software, we can use materials where they are needed. The operation of the machine can also reduce human error and improve efficiency.
Fig 3:3D-printed concrete bookstore[3]
The best time for earthquake rescue is 72 hours[4]. Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) once pointed out: “After 72 hours, the rescued body is either a corpse or a miracle. “3D printing construction technology can help us quickly generate temporary housing, hospitals, and other necessary facilities after the earthquake.
Advantages and disadvantages
The current application has a device called Contour Crafting[5]. This equipment is a tool for 3D printing buildings, which can automatically print pre-set structures within a specific range. In addition to the advantages mentioned above, this device has many benefits. Contour Crafting can reduce the gathering of people. On the one hand, it can save human resources for search and rescue work[5]; on the other hand, it can reduce the secondary loss caused by gathering people in disasters. Before the earthquake, the training of disaster relief personnel can be reduced, and the time cost can be reduced. Finally, the modeling and systems of 3D printing are very open, allowing for easy design and temporary access[6].
Fig 4:Contour Crafting system[4]
Different from the equipment of Professor Xu Weiguo’s team, Contour Crafting can also strengthen some metal structures. Houses built in this way can be more potent.
“Scientific American” reported that “the technology of 3D printing buildings is still in its early stages, and more work needs to be done in terms of technology and regulation to expand the scale of 3D printing buildings. Of course, this technology also faces many challenges. In the former, practitioners have not found an effective way to strengthen concrete from printing presses. In traditional buildings, this is done by laying steel bars.” [3]It is not difficult to see that the structure of 3D printed buildings is not completely strong, and it is currently tricky to As a long-term use of the building. The use of materials is also a problem. The current printing material used is concrete, which needs to be prevented from being blocked in the machine. Moreover, the environment in which the printing device is located will also affect the printing performance.
Summarize
To sum up, although 3D printing architecture has yet to mature fully. However, this is still an excellent way to solve the temporary housing after the disaster. In some of the same circumstances, this approach can also address the problems of affordable housing and homelessness.
Reference
[1]: Earthquake Leaves 1.5 Million Homeless in Turkey, 9 Million in Syria Affected. (2023, February 21). UN News Global Perspective Human Stories. https://news.un.org/zh/story/2023/02/1115392
[2]：Zhou, W., & Chen, Y. (2018, May 8). Wenchuan Earthquake Ten Years Series—Those Unforgettable Details Are Still Blowing in the Wind. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-43971904
[3]:Miao, S. (2021, June 23). China’s 3D Printing Architecture, and Future Development. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.cn/cn/963754/zhong-guo-3dda-yin-jian-zhu-ji-wei-lai-fa-zhan
[4]:Vuković, Diane . (2020, April 27). Why the First 72 Hours After a Disaster Are Critical. Primary Survivor. https://www.primalsurvivor.net/why-the-first-72-hours-after-a-disaster-are-critical/
[5]:Mathur, R. (2016). 3D Printing in Architecture. International Journal of Innovative Science, Engineering & Technology, 3(7), 583–591. https://www.ijiset.com/
[6]:Žujović , M. (2022). 3D Printing Technologies in Architectural Design and Construction: A Systematic Literature Review. Buildings, 12(9). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12091319
Figure
[1]:Earthquake Leaves 1.5 Million Homeless in Turkey, 9 Million in Syria Affected. (2023, February 21). UN News Global Perspective Human Stories. https://news.un.org/zh/story/2023/02/1115392
[2]:Miao, S. (2021, June 23). China’s 3D Printing Architecture, and Future Development. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.cn/cn/963754/zhong-guo-3dda-yin-jian-zhu-ji-wei-lai-fa-zhan
[3]:Miao, S. (2021, June 23). China’s 3D Printing Architecture, and Future Development. ArchDaily. https://www.archdaily.cn/cn/963754/zhong-guo-3dda-yin-jian-zhu-ji-wei-lai-fa-zhan
[4]:Petch, M. (2017, June 15). A NEW HOUSE IN ONLY 2 DAYS,” CONTOUR CRAFTING BEGINS MANUFACTURE OF 3D PRINTER FOR CONSTRUCTION. 3D Printing Industry. https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/new-house-2-days-contour-crafting-begins-manufacture-3d-printer-construction-116124/
A very well-structured blog. From your thoughts, I agree that during and after an earthquake, providing immediate shelter is very crucial for people. To overcome this global issue, 3D printing technology can play a very significant role. It is quite a novel topic, as still many researches and debates are still going on about how quickly a shelter is being delivered during an earthquake. Here are some of the inputs which I feel can be utilized while addressing the temporary housing problem:
1. Immediate construction: huge 3D printers can quickly start building the shelters layer by layer. As the CAD file is already been made before this natural hazard, it is easy to just set the location and select the material for commencing the process of construction (Gregory, n.d.).
2. Personalized design: this natural hazard of an earthquake is not just limited to any city or country; it can occur anywhere anytime. We need a set of designs that can be used in any part of the world. For example, in cold cities, we need a structure to hold the maximum warmth inside the house (Brennecke, 2023). And for a warm humid climate, we need a set of housing that promote maximum fresh air flow and ventilation.
3. Vernacular material: as the construction technique varies from place to place, the use of material also varies. In such cases, the locally available material will decrease the cost of construction. It also minimizes the time which requires to bring the material on-site (Hughes, n.d.). The laborers also get the benefits, as they already know how the material works and how to use it for making a quick housing shelter.
With speedy urbanization, the effect of such hazards is also very threatening. However, due to technological advancement, the damage is being reduced to a certain amount. 3D printing technology is a boom and has great potential to overcome global issues. However, there are some problems that we need to tackle with this technology like housing on a huge scale, and how this construction technology can address diverse populations.
Thank you for bringing up this topic and contributing your knowledge and ideas. Great work on your literature study.
References:
1. Gregory, M. (n.d.). 3D Printing and Disaster Shelter Costs. In: S.A. Hameedaldeen, ed. 2016 Proceedings of PICMET ’16: Technology Management for Social Innovation. The USA.
2. Brennecke, T. (2023). Exploring 3D printed housing as a solution for post-disaster temporary shelters. [online] Parametric Architecture. Available at: https://parametric-architecture.com/exploring-3d-printed-housing-as-a-solution-for-post-disaster-temporary-shelters/.
3. Hughes, R.A. (n.d.). In Italy, 3D Printers Are Making Eco-Friendly Emergency Housing. [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccahughes/2021/10/30/in-italy-3d-printers-are-making-eco-friendly-emergency-housing/.
You indicated a terrible past in the first paragraph. I am aware that it was a difficult time for many individuals, and I can identify with it because my family has also experienced similar struggles. On January 26, 2001, a powerful 7.7 earthquake strikes Gujarat in western India, killing more than 20,000 people.
Regarding your issue, I truly like it. In the event of a natural disaster like an earthquake, it is crucial to prepare a mobile or rapid shelter. In your blog you have mentioned that this technology is “less time talking”. I strongly doubt on this thing because I heard that 3D printing usually take long time may be I wrong. One-story buildings can be completed in less than 24 hours, which is a good example. Every country does not have the technology needed for this construction, so what about those?
Since many years ago, people have been working on this technology, but the results are not satisfactory. The printing machine you stated in your last paragraph needed concrete, but to my knowledge, it needed any kind of liquid materials. Of course, this method has both benefits and drawbacks.
References:
Wikipedia Contributors. “2001 Gujarat Earthquake.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Mar. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_Gujarat_earthquake.
Wikipedia Contributors. “Construction 3D Printing.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 July 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Construction_3D_printing.
The knowledge in this article is comprehensive. While working on the project, I also thought about the possibility of earthquakes in housing, but in a different way, and my measures were to deal with the possibility of earthquakes through high-density resistant materials. This blog is about using new technologies to cope with post-earthquake housing. It has made me unlock new ideas again. The use of 3D printing technology is very new to me. This article also shows representative examples of cities. So, I checked the literature on 3D printing.
3D printing technology, which reduces significant construction time and quickly provides emergency housing, is essential for responding to disasters and providing housing assistance, and is favoured by many cities. However, while there is great potential for using 3D printing technology to improve temporary housing for disaster victims, at the same time, there are a number of challenges.
Choosing the right materials is crucial to 3D printing buildings that are structurally strong and durable. However, the materials currently available for 3D printing are very limited and sustainable low carbon materials need to be considered while ensuring safety in a human habitable environment.[1] Using high-strength, renewable materials reduces dependence on resources. For example, natural plant fibres such as trees and hemp stalks make use of the material’s characteristics and can save costs at the same time.[2] Using Cement Alternative Materials,In recent years, cement has been frequently mentioned as a building material. However, the traditional cement manufacturing process produces large amounts of CO2 emissions in addition to releasing nitrogen oxides and particles that damage air quality.Therefore, it becomes important to find an alternative to cement, which can use industrial by-products such as slag, fly ash and earth conglomerate as alternative materials to cement. So environmental upgrading and high quality development is the inevitable path to green transformation of the cement industry.
rference
Sakin, M. and Kiroglu, Y.C., 2017. 3D Printing of Buildings: Construction of the Sustainable Houses of the Future by BIM. Energy Procedia, 134, pp.702-711.
Bazli, M., Ashrafi, H., Rajabipour, A. and Kutay, C., 2023. 3D printing for remote housing: Benefits and challenges. Automation in Construction, 148, p.104772.
Marijnissen, M.P.A.A. and Van Der Zee, A., 2017. 3D Concrete printing in architecture. A research on the potential benefits of 3D Concrete Printing in Architecture. Material Studies–Methodologies, 2, pp.299-308.