Earlier this week, the Texas Military Department opened a 3,800 square foot barracks that will soon be home to 72 soldiers or airmen at the Camp Swift Training Center in Bastrop, Texas. The entire barracks building was 3D printed with concrete and is the latest example of the US military utilizing technology and additive manufacturing to work. However, the Pentagon is allegedly still wary of the new techniques. Creating an entire building out of 3D printed concrete brought up unique challenges, such as the behavior of concrete under different temperatures.
The firm responsible for the building, ICON, has worked on other projects for the Air Force’s Defense Innovation Unit and AFWERX. The company stated that it had to ruggedized an enormous house-building robot to withstand the Texas elements and heat. The company hopes that the building project produced valuable data that will make the process easier for future construction efforts using 3D printing.
Read More: The Texas National Guard Just Unveiled the Largest 3D Printed Structure in North America
