Evolution of Additive Manufacturing in Civil Infrastructure Systems (2021-07)¶

As human beings, we have a moral responsibility to act in a manner that takes the wellbeing of humans and Earth into consideration. When building, we must consider two things: the health of the workforce associated with construction and the state of the planet after building. Many engineers in the past have made groundbreaking achievements to revolutionize the civil infrastructure systems (CIS) industry. However, additive manufacturing (AM) has yet to be significantly recognized throughout the CIS industry. In this review, the use of all fundamental materials utilized by AM in CIS like concrete, metals, and polymers, are discussed. The objective of this study is to expand upon the technology of AM, specifically in CIS and to provide a review on the evolution of AM from 2011 to 2021. The different AM techniques that are utilized to construct said structures are also included. The review study suggests that AM can be useful in the CIS industry, as homes, bridges, and benches were manufactured with this technique. To enhance the reader’s visualization, pictures of the related built structures are also presented. It can be concluded that adopting AM techniques in the CIS industry can save material, speed up the construction process, and create a safer environment for the people that work in the CIS industry. Since the research on this subject is limited, further research on polymer printing along with metal printing is recommended.