Defence infra development agency builds two 3D printed houses

Defence infrastructure development agency military engineering services (MES) has developed two residences using 3D rapid construction technology in South-Western Air Command, Gandhinagar and Jaisalmer. Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Tvasta Construction, Vidyashankar C, told the media that the agency is asking to make bunkers and parking facilities for military vehicles near border areas where construction is a challenge due to harsh weather conditions and shortage of labour. Tvasta had raised Rs three crore from the non-profit organisation Habitat for Humanity, the first to successfully develop a one-storey 3D printed house that met protocols for traditional homes. The Building Research Institute and Structural Engineering Research Centre for approvals to ensure that the 3D printed houses are safe to stay. The 3D printed houses were deployed within 35 days for the Indian Air Force (IAF), while the traditional construction process would have taken six months. Vidyashankar said that there are discussions to ensure feasibility and sustainability of the technology to build houses, bunkers and emergency structures. The 3D printed structures and houses allow greater flexibility in design. The 3D printed houses built for the IAF are different from the 600 sq ft 1BHK house. It had a built-in IIT Madras campus using 3D printers, constructed in five days for affordable housing. However, structures for the armed forces are designed for hostile conditions. The 3D printed house in Jaisalmer has a lot of curves to avoid sand deposits, and it does not corrode the material. The material also has anti-ultraviolet (UV) properties. Moreover, the construction of 3D-printed structures is not labour-intensive. Some parts are printed remotely assembled on-site. However, these 3D printers can be installed on-site to print and assemble parts at the same place. Image Source Also read: Defence Ministry allows transfer of 13 acre land for Pune airport