By: Franyi Sarmiento, Ph.D., Inspenet, December 22, 2022
Researchers from the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), Spain, devised and patented a new technique that would make it possible to manufacture beams with 3D-printed plastic parts that can be assembled as if they were Lego modules and a layer of high-performance concrete on top. most compressed area.
[post_relacionado]These new beams, according to their creators, have multiple advantages: they weigh up to 80% less than concrete or metal beams, so large cranes or trucks are not needed to transport and install them; they would save time and costs in labor and material; and they could be printed and assembled on site, making it easy to install anywhere, however difficult to access.
In addition, these beams use recycled plastics as raw material, giving a new life to this product and thus advancing towards a more sustainable construction.
Its main innovation would be the polymer profile of the beam, made up of multiple longitudinal segments that can be assembled and concreted in the place where the structure is to be installed. The beam is reinforced with elements that guarantee the rigidity of the structure and also would not have any metallic component.
“In this way, corrosion is avoided, weight is reduced and working time is simplified,” the researchers explain. The system would also eliminate the need for expensive formwork and falsework, which would allow work without the need to cut traffic on the infrastructure in which work is being done.
Another novelty of the system devised by the UPV researchers is found in the internal structure of the polymeric profiles. “It is a honeycomb structure, which makes it possible to reduce the plastic material used -and therefore its weight- while maintaining structural rigidity”, they conclude.
This material from the cdt.cl portal was edited for clarity, style, and length.
Source and Photo : https://www.cdt.cl/desarrollan-vigas-de-plastico-impresas-en-3d/