Earth materials are an emerging, sustainable alternative to cementitious materials because of their low embodied carbon, affordability, safety, and thermal characteristics. By using minimally processed materials and sourcing raw materials from the construction site, 3D-printed earth structures could substantially reduce transportation, chemical treatments, excess manufacturing, warehouse storage, and intermediary storages. We study the rheological behavior of earth based materials, starting with engineered clay suspensions to better understand the mechanisms underlying their behavior while in the plastic state. Further, we are exploring various biopolymers as candidates to tailor key properties of these material systems to make them suitable for 3D printing.
Relevant publications:
Maierdan, Y., Armistead, S. J., Mikofsky, R. A., Huang, Q., Ben-Alon, L., Srubar III, W. V., & Kawashima, S. (2024). Rheology and 3D printing of alginate bio-stabilized earth concrete. Cement and Concrete Research, 175, 107380.
Bryson, Z. E., Srubar, W. V., Kawashima, S., & Ben-Alon, L. (2022, June). Towards 3D Printed Earth-and Bio-Based Insulation Materials: A Case Study on Light Straw Clay. In 18th International Conference on Non-conventional Materials and Technologies.