L&T 3D prints first G+1 building in India
In a first, L&T Construction has successfully 3D printed a G+1 (ground-plus-one floor) building in India.
The company 3D-printed the building at its Kancheepuram (Tamil Nadu) facility, which consists of a total built-up area of 700 sq ft. It used an in-house developed concrete mix and construction materials that are indigenously available.
MV Satish, Whole Time Director and Senior Executive Vice President (Buildings), Larsen & Toubro (L&T), stated that 3D concrete printing is a technology disruptor that will redefine the construction methodologies. It will help accelerate construction speed and build quality.
The building was printed with a vertical reinforcement bar as well as horizontal distributors. The construction used welded mesh that satisfies the provisions of Indian codes, thus optimising the cost of construction.
Excluding the horizontal slab members, the whole structure was 3D printed at the job site in an “open to sky” environment, also known as “Cast in Situ”. The statement mentioned it was built in 106 hours using a fully automated 3D printer.
In the 3D printing process, the material is printed under computer control to create a 3-dimensional product. It is made layer by layer as seen in manufacturing industries to print prototypes. These prototypes are usually complex shapes and are made in small batches using metal alloys and special polymers.
The 3D concrete printing technology is still a work in progress around the world.
The team also 3D printed a 1 BHK of 240 sq ft earlier in November 2019. It was in line with the building layout of the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). It helped to understand the feasibility of innovative technology.
