Sustainable Technology Advances for Additive Construction (2025-09)¶
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Journal Article - Construction Robotics, Vol. 9, Iss. 2
Abstract
Housing shortages, environmental degradation, and affordability crises are pressing the construction sector to adopt integrated sustainable solutions. This review identifies the automation technology bottlenecks that currently hinder Additive Construction. Using a PRISMA-based protocol, we screened 1331 papers (2013–2025) and retained 77 to analyze five dimensions of Additive Construction: Sustainability, Materials, Masonry, Process Improvement, and Printing Technology. We explored research directions, advantages, achievements, and technological gaps, especially from a machinery-wise and automation perspective, and proposed system upgrades to address them. Evidence reveals issues on motion stability, accuracy and coordination for positioning systems, gaps in printers' components design, and unpredictability of material behavior during deposition. This approach identifies priority research areas for technological development, such as inline mixing, real-time monitoring systems, adaptive controllers, and advanced digital models. By reframing Additive Construction challenges as machine-design specifications, this review guides engineering teams in advancing construction automation.
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52 References
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Environmental Footprint and Economics of a Full-Scale 3D Printed House - Alabbasi Mohammad, Agkathidis Asterios, Chen Hanmei (2023-01)
Robotic 3D Printing of Concrete Building Components for Residential Buildings in Saudi Arabia - Ambily Parukutty, Kaliyavaradhan Senthil, Sebastian Shilpa, Shekar Deepadharshan (2023-12)
Mixing Approach for 3D Printable Concrete:
Method of Addition and Optimization of Superplasticizer Dosage - Annapareddy Ashokreddy, Panda Biranchi, Ting Guan, Li Mingyang et al. (2018-05)
Flow And Mechanical Properties of 3D Printed Cementitious Material With Recycled Glass-Aggregates - Batikha Mustafa, Jotangia Rahul, Baaj Mohamad, Mousleh Ibrahim (2021-12)
3D Concrete Printing for Sustainable and Economical Construction:
A Comparative Study - Bianchi Iacopo, Volpe Stelladriana, Fiorito Francesco, Forcellese Archimede et al. (2024-01)
Life Cycle Assessment of Building Envelopes Manufactured Through Different 3D Printing Technologies - Christ Julian, Leusnik Sander, Koss Holger (2023-10)
Multi-Axial 3D Printing of Biopolymer-Based Concrete Composites in Construction - Dahlenburg Maximilian, Hechtl Christian, Matthäus Carla, Fottner Johannes (2022-11)
3D Concrete Printing:
Graded Concrete-Extrusion - Delgado Camacho Daniel, Clayton Patricia, Brien William, Seepersad Carolyn et al. (2018-02)
Applications of Additive Manufacturing in the Construction Industry:
A Forward-Looking Review - Du Song, Teng Fei, Zhuang Zicheng, Zhang Dong et al. (2024-03)
A BIM-Enabled Robot-Control System for Automated Integration Between Rebar-Reinforcement and 3D Concrete Printing - Duballet Romain, Baverel Olivier, Dirrenberger Justin (2018-11)
Space-Truss-Masonry-Walls with Robotic Mortar-Extrusion - Gardan Julien, Hedjazi Lofti, Attajer Ali (2025-02)
Additive Manufacturing in Construction:
State of the Art and Emerging Trends in Civil Engineering - Grigoryan Erik, Babanina Anna, Kulakov Kirill (2019-12)
Automation of the Construction Process by Using a Hinged Robot with Interchangeable Nozzles - Hack Norman, Bahar Mohammad, Hühne Christian, Lopez William et al. (2021-06)
Development of a Robot-Based Multi-Directional Dynamic Fiber Winding Process for Additive Manufacturing Using Shotcrete 3D Printing - Hassan Habibelrahman, Rodriguez-Ubinas Edwin, Tamimi Adil, Trepci Esra et al. (2024-04)
Towards Innovative and Sustainable Buildings:
A Comprehensive Review of 3D Printing in Construction - Jauk Julian, Vašatko Hana, Gosch Lukas, Ristoski Kristijan et al. (2023-11)
Coextrusion of Clay-Based Composites:
Using a Multi-Material Approach to Achieve Gradient Porosity in 3D Printed Ceramics - Khajavi Siavash, Tetik Müge, Mohite Ashish, Peltokorpi Antti et al. (2021-04)
Additive Manufacturing in the Construction Industry:
The Comparative Competitiveness of 3D Concrete Printing - Khan Shoukat, Jassim Muhammad, İlcan Hüseyin, Şahin Oğuzhan et al. (2023-04)
3D Printing of Circular Materials:
Comparative Environmental Analysis of Materials and Construction Techniques - Kocherla Amarteja, Kamakshi Tippabhotla, Subramaniam Kolluru (2021-11)
In-Situ Embedded PZT Sensor for Monitoring 3D Concrete Printing:
Application in Alkali-Activated Fly-Ash-Slag Geopolymers - Kontovourkis Odysseas, Tryfonos George, Georgiou Christos (2019-06)
Robotic Additive Manufacturing (RAM) with Clay Using Topology-Optimization Principles for Tool-Path-Planning:
The Example of a Building Element - Labonnote Nathalie, Rønnquist Anders, Manum Bendik, Rüther Petra (2016-09)
Additive Construction:
State of the Art, Challenges and Opportunities - Lachmayer Lukas, Recker Tobias, Ekanayaka Virama, Hürkamp André et al. (2024-10)
Multi-Model-Based Additive Manufacturing:
A Framework for Automated Large-Scale 3D Concrete Printing with Industrial Robots - Lakhal Othman, Chettibi Taha, Belarouci Abdelkader, Dherbomez Gerald et al. (2020-02)
Robotized Additive Manufacturing of Funicular Architectural Geometries Based on Building Materials - Li Zihan, Liu Huanbao, Cheng Xiang, Nie Ping et al. (2022-12)
Improvement of 3D Printing Cement-Based Material-Process:
Parameter Experiment and Analysis - Li Yu, Wu Hao, Xie Xinjie, Zhang Liming et al. (2024-02)
FloatArch:
A Cable-Supported, Unreinforced, and Re-Assemblable 3D Printed Concrete Structure Designed Using Multi-Material Topology-Optimization - Lim Jian, Panda Biranchi, Pham Quang-Cuong (2018-05)
Improving Flexural Characteristics of 3D Printed Geopolymer Composites with In-Process Steel-Cable-Reinforcement - Liu Siyu, Lu Bing, Li Hongliang, Pan Zehua et al. (2022-03)
A Comparative Study on Environmental Performance of 3D Printing and Conventional Casting of Concrete Products with Industrial Wastes - Liu Huawei, Wang Yifei, Zhu Chao, Wu Yiwen et al. (2024-11)
Design of 3D Printed Concrete Masonry for Wall Structures:
Mechanical Behavior and Strength Calculation Methods Under Various Loads - Maboudi Mehdi, Gerke Markus, Hack Norman, Brohmann Leon et al. (2020-08)
Current Surveying Methods for the Integration of Additive Manufacturing in the Construction Process - Manhanpally Najeeb, Saha Suman (2022-03)
Benefit-Cost Analysis of 3D Printed Concrete Building - Mohan Manu, Rahul Attupurathu, Dam Benjamin, Zeidan Talina et al. (2022-02)
Performance Criteria, Environmental Impact and Cost-Assessment for 3D Printable Concrete Mixtures - Munir Qaisar, Peltonen Riku, Kärki Timo (2021-08)
Printing Parameter Requirements for 3D Printable Geopolymer Materials Prepared from Industrial Side Streams - Muthukrishnan Shravan, Ramakrishnan Sayanthan, Sanjayan Jay (2022-02)
Set-on-Demand Geopolymer Using Print-Head Mixing for 3D Concrete Printing - Panda Biranchi, Lim Jian, Mohamed Nisar, Paul Suvash et al. (2017-07)
Automation of Robotic Concrete Printing Using Feedback-Control-System - Panda Biranchi, Tan Ming (2018-03)
Experimental Study on Mix Proportion and Fresh Properties of Fly-Ash-Based Geopolymer for 3D Concrete Printing - Rashid Ans, Khan Shoukat, Ghamdi Sami, Koç Muammer (2020-06)
Additive Manufacturing:
Technology, Applications, Markets, and Opportunities for the Built Environment - Robayo-Salazar Rafael, Gutiérrez Ruby, Villaquirán-Caicedo Mónica, Delvasto Arjona Silvio (2022-12)
3D Printing with Cementitious Materials:
Challenges and Opportunities for the Construction Sector - Sakka Fatima, Hamzeh Farook (2017-07)
3D Concrete Printing in the Service of Lean Construction - Sangiorgio Valentino, Parisi Fabio, Fieni Francesco, Parisi Nicola (2022-01)
The New Boundaries of 3D-Printed Clay-Bricks-Design:
Printability of Complex Internal Geometries - Silva Guido, Quispe L., Kim Suyeon, Nakamatsu Javier et al. (2019-11)
Development of a Stabilized Natural Fiber-Reinforced Earth Composite for Construction Applications Using 3D Printing - Silva Maicon, Silva Lívia, Toralles Berenice, Cardoso Flávia et al. (2024-02)
Building a Sustainable Future:
The Role of Additive Manufacturing in Civil Construction - Srivastava Manu, Ammons Jake, Peerzada Abdul, Krovi Venkat et al. (2022-05)
3D Printing of Concrete with a Continuum-Robot-Hose Using Variable-Curvature Kinematics - Tiryaki Mehmet, Zhang Xu, Pham Quang-Cuong (2019-11)
Printing-While-Moving:
A New Paradigm for Large-Scale Robotic 3D Printing - Tošić Zlata, Eichenauer Martin, Ivaniuk Egor, Lordick Daniel et al. (2022-07)
Design and Optimization of Free-Form Surfaces for Modular Concrete 3D Printing - Tran Mien, Vu Tran, Nguyen Thi (2023-01)
Simplified Assessment for One-Part 3D Printable Geopolymer Concrete Based on Slump and Slump-Flow Measurements - Versteege Jelle, Wolfs Robert, Salet Theo (2025-02)
Data-Driven Additive Manufacturing with Concrete - Enhancing In-Line Sensory Data with Domain Knowledge:
Part I: Geometry - Volpe Stelladriana, Sangiorgio Valentino, Petrella Andrea, Notarnicola Michele et al. (2023-04)
3D Printed Concrete Blocks Made with Sustainable Recycled Material - Wan Qian, Yang Wenwei, Wang Li, Ma Guowei (2023-04)
Global Continuous Path-Planning for 3D Concrete Printing Multi-Branched Structure - Wu Peng, Wang Jun, Wang Xiangyu (2016-04)
A Critical Review of the Use of 3D Printing in the Construction Industry - Yassin Abdallah, Hamzeh Farook, Sakka Fatima (2019-12)
Agent-Based Modeling to Optimize Workflow of Robotic Steel and Concrete 3D Printers - Zhang Daobo, Feng Peng, Zhou Peizhao, Xu Weiguo et al. (2023-06)
3D Printed Concrete Walls Reinforced with Flexible FRP Textile:
Automatic Construction, Digital Rebuilding, and Seismic Performance - Zhao Hongyu, Sun Junbo, Wang Xiangyu, Wang Yufei et al. (2024-12)
Real-Time and High-Accuracy Defect Monitoring for 3D Concrete Printing Using Transformer Networks
0 Citations
BibTeX
@article{rami_ahma.2025.STAfAC,
author = "Fatima Mariana Ramirez Rodriguez and Rafiq Ahmad",
title = "Sustainable Technology Advances for Additive Construction: A State-of-the-Art Review",
doi = "10.1007/s41693-025-00167-9",
year = "2025",
journal = "Construction Robotics",
volume = "9",
number = "2",
}
Formatted Citation
F. M. R. Rodriguez and R. Ahmad, “Sustainable Technology Advances for Additive Construction: A State-of-the-Art Review”, Construction Robotics, vol. 9, no. 2, 2025, doi: 10.1007/s41693-025-00167-9.
Rodriguez, Fatima Mariana Ramirez, and Rafiq Ahmad. “Sustainable Technology Advances for Additive Construction: A State-of-the-Art Review”. Construction Robotics 9, no. 2 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41693-025-00167-9.