Defense Dept. building largest 3D-printed structures in Western Hemisphere

The U.S. Department of Defense is constructing three barracks at the Camp Swift Training Center in Bastrop, Texas that will each be the largest 3D-printed structures in the Americas.

Each building will be larger than 5,700 sf and the project is expected to be completed within 10 months. Army brass say the 3D building technique saves labor costs, reduces planning time, and increases the speed of construction.

The buildings will be the first 3D-printed structures that comply with new DOD Unified Facilities Criteria for additive concrete construction. The Unified Facilities Criteria did not previously include specifications for 3D-printed concrete wall systems.

Until the new rules went into effect, companies that used 3D printing could not bid on DOD construction projects. The material used in the construction is ICON’s proprietary Lavacrete, which is a type of high-strength concrete with a compressive strength of 2,000 to 3,500 pounds per square inch, according to ICON. Lavacrete can withstand extreme weather and greatly reduce the impact of natural disasters, DOD says.

As remote work rose and demand for office space declined since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, developers have found converting some offices to residential use to be an attractive option. Apartment conversions rose 25% in the two years since the start of the pandemic, with 28,000 new units converted from other property types, according to a report from RentCafe.

Legislation | Nov 23, 2022

7 ways the Inflation Reduction Act will impact the building sector

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Seismic Design | Nov 16, 2022

SPC-4D: 7 reasons California hospital building owners should act now to meet seismic compliance

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Legislation | Nov 13, 2022

U.S. voters pass numerous affordable housing measures

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Oregon wildfire risk law prompts extensive backlash Photo: Pixabay

Resiliency | Nov 8, 2022

Oregon wildfire risk law prompts extensive backlash from property owners

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Building Team | Nov 7, 2022

U.S. commercial buildings decreased energy use intensity from 2012 to 2018

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Codes and Standards | Nov 2, 2022

New York City construction official wants to boost design-build

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| Nov 1, 2022

Updated Florida building codes helped newer homes withstand Hurricane Ian

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Data Centers | Oct 31, 2022

Data center construction facing record-breaking inflation, delays

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