3D printing of a post-tensioned concrete girder designed by topology optimization

In this paper, the digital design and manufacturing of a post-tensioned concrete girder is presented. We bring together two emerging technologies that show great potential for realizing highly-efficient concrete structures: topology optimization for simulation-driven design and 3D concrete printing (3DCP) for manufacturing of optimized shapes. While this is not the first-ever 3D-printed concrete structure, it is the first demonstration of how...