On the occasion of World Science Day, LafargeHolcim signed a new partnership with Southeast University in Nanjing, China, where it is sponsoring research into concrete and mortars for on-site construction 3D printing. Leading the way in green building solutions, LafargeHolcim is using 3D printing to make construction more efficient while lowering its carbon footprint, aiming to become a full 3D printing solutions provider.
“My team and I have been working on sustainable concrete and the development of 3D printing concrete technology. The partnership with LafargeHolcim will allow us to take it to the next level,” said Professor Yamei Zhang of Southeast University.
“Our global network of academic partners is critical in helping us think outside the box. We need the brightest minds to help us lead the next frontier of building solutions,” confirmed Edelio Bermejo, Head of R&D for LafargeHolcim.
Manufacturing on Demand
A structural pillar 3D printed by XtreeE at Aix-en-Provence, France in 2016.
This research is the latest step in broadening LafargeHolcim’s distinguished academic network. The company works with forty leading university departments around the world in fields ranging from materials science to civil engineering to sustainable construction. Many of the Ph.D. students from the network go on to become employees of LafargeHolcim, helping to develop visionary innovations.
LafargeHolcim currently finances two university chairs advancing sustainable construction, one at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland, and one at the École des Ponts ParisTech in Paris, France. Other partnerships across the network are driving innovation in low-carbon and resource-efficient buildings, as well as resilience and durability of concrete structures, taking place at such prestigious institutions as IIT Madras (Chennai, India), Cape Town University (South Africa), TU Braunschweig (Germany) and University of Cambridge (UK). Announcements on further partnerships are expected in the coming months.
LafargeHolcim strengthens its innovation network by partnering with hundreds of start-ups around the world that are experts in fields such as AI and digitalization. In this spirit, LafargeHolcim is currently organizing the first 3D printing hackathon, calling on the world’s smartest students to pioneer new solutions for more effective and efficient housing construction.
All these collaborations help expand the company’s offering of low-carbon products and solutions as part of its journey to net zero. LafargeHolcim also leads the largest R&D organization in its industry with six innovation centers serving customers across all its markets, employing 300 researchers and drawing on 1,500 active patents. The company
You might also like:
HS HI-TECH and ETH mix 3D printing tech for Digital Bamboo pavilion: HS HI-TECH developed unique expertise in the production of complex 3D printed connectors for non-traditional buildings. ETH, especially through its Digital Building Technologies (dbt) department, combined a number of different construction processes in the Dfab house project, which was completed recently. Both experiences plaid a role in the Digital Bamboo pavilion where, along with the use of bamboo, as an ideal sustainable building material, customized computational tools were developed to design the ultra-lightweight structure, with bespoke 3D printed connections. The structure covers more than 40 sqm with a total weight of only 200 kgs. The Digital Bamboo pavilion showcases a filigree and engaging architecture that surpasses the standardized space frame vocabulary.
* This article is reprinted from 3D Printing Media Network. If you are involved in infringement, please contact us to delete it.
Author: Davide Sher
Leave A Comment