<tram-stop>Tram Stop</tram-stop>
made with 3D printing technology
At the tram line no. 12 entry stop at the oldest permanent Prague loop Výstaviště, the Prague Public Transport Company (DPP) in cooperation with the City of Prague and the company So Concrete has put into operation the first shelter in the Czech Republic produced using the robotic 3D printing technology of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC). The production of individual parts of the shelter took only 36 hours and took place in the workshops of So Concrete in Prague 7. The shelter measures 2.5 x 8 meters, has a height of 3 meters, weighs 2 tons, and is equipped with a bench also made using 3D printing and an LCD information panel.
The unique shelter consists of several structural segments, for whose production various types of concrete and different approaches to 3D printing were used. The roof and the passenger bench are made using robotic 3D printing. The type of concrete used was chosen by the manufacturer based on the function and load of the particular segment. For example, the bench's seating area does not use distributed reinforcement made of steel wires, unlike the roof, which contains this reinforcement. During the production of the column capitals, the robot milled and printed molds, into which the final capitals were subsequently cast from concrete.
The design of the shelter utilizes natural principles of internal force distribution, i.e., compression and tension, which makes the resulting design not only unique but, above all, maximally effective. Compared to conventional technologies, this approach with minimal human labor input can save up to 60% of materials. The physical and technical properties of ultra-high-performance concrete allow for the manufacturing of such delicate self-supporting structures using minimal amounts of steel. Robotic 3D printing not only brings the advantage of saving human labor but also the possibility to produce such complex shapes in extremely short times without the need to use molds or formwork. Therefore, from both an economic and sustainability perspective, robotic 3D printing of high-strength concrete can be considered a technology of the future.
“In the capital city Prague, we like to try new materials and modern technologies. One of them is high-strength concrete, which we are using in the construction of the Štvanice footbridge, the reconstruction of the Barrandov Bridge, and we plan to use it in the reconstruction of the Libeň Bridge as well,” said Adam Scheinherr, Deputy Mayor of Prague for transportation and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of DPP.
“Within the tram infrastructure, we have several activities in partnership utilizing the latest technologies and scientific knowledge, which could be summarized under the heading of smart city projects. The opportunity to collaborate on the stop shelter project produced using 3D printing intrigued us for many reasons. Firstly, due to the use of a commonly available but unconventional material for the shelter with minimal use of steel, which is currently in short supply, furthermore due to overall material savings, maintenance-free properties, as well as incredibly fast and easy realization with countless options to customize the design and produce a shelter that would be specific to the selected location. It will be interesting to observe the effects of external and climatic factors on the shelter. We did not choose the Výstaviště stop in the loop randomly. It is a long-neglected location where we are preparing a comprehensive reconstruction of the tram track, subsequently following the reconstruction of the Správa železnic bridge, a state organization. Our intention is currently being discussed with state administration authorities, resulting in, among other things, the addition of barrier-free modifications to the stops,” stated Jan Šurovský, board member and technical director of DPP – Surface.
The project for this shelter began the company So Concrete in collaboration with DPP last year. Its processing was carried out digitally using parametric design in the Grasshopper (Rhino) program. “We use this framework to design our own software tools, which cover processes from geometry generation through topological optimization, static analysis, 3D slicers, and inverse kinematic solvers to post-processors. The focus on creating our own digital solutions allows us to quickly adapt to a wide range of standard file formats and types of geometry. Close collaboration with our clients on optimizing input digital models for our manufacturing process enables a quick transition from idea to physical object,” explains the design process Dmitrij Nikitin, robotics engineer at So Concrete.
The design of the tram shelter is based on natural principles
The parametric design of the tram stop is based on natural principles primarily in the area of breaking down forces and tensions. The shape of the stop, placement, and shapes of ribs, and columns—all of these maximally utilize the efficiency of nature-tested solutions. “Even during the design process, we conduct a static analysis of the structure, and using topological optimization we can reduce the volume of material used. The aesthetic qualities and static requirements remain preserved. The resulting morphology of the ribs reflects the real behavior of the structure under load and directly shows the forces acting within it. Thanks to optimization, we were able to remove areas with lower utility from the structure and save up to 60% of material. The result is a perforated fine structure that withstands the same load as a solid concrete slab,” explains the design process Záviš Unzeitig, designer at So Concrete.
What is digital concrete?
The most advanced digital techniques and processes allow concrete to be used in new ways that make constructing structures and infrastructure more efficient and economical. Recent developments show that new inventions, such as 3D printing of concrete structures and molds, are not only possible but are likely to dominate construction technologies in the coming years.
3D printing has the potential to produce mainly construction elements with complex shapes. This can be achieved either by printing individual components or by creating molds that allow for shaping and refining the desired constructions. Automated manufacturing strengthens off-site production, which is considered key to increasing productivity across the construction industry. Concrete elements, for example, floors and walls, are manufactured under controlled conditions in factories using digital technologies, then transported and quickly assembled on-site. This reduces construction time, lowers cost savings, and supports sustainability.
The unique shelter consists of several structural segments, for whose production various types of concrete and different approaches to 3D printing were used. The roof and the passenger bench are made using robotic 3D printing. The type of concrete used was chosen by the manufacturer based on the function and load of the particular segment. For example, the bench's seating area does not use distributed reinforcement made of steel wires, unlike the roof, which contains this reinforcement. During the production of the column capitals, the robot milled and printed molds, into which the final capitals were subsequently cast from concrete.
The design of the shelter utilizes natural principles of internal force distribution, i.e., compression and tension, which makes the resulting design not only unique but, above all, maximally effective. Compared to conventional technologies, this approach with minimal human labor input can save up to 60% of materials. The physical and technical properties of ultra-high-performance concrete allow for the manufacturing of such delicate self-supporting structures using minimal amounts of steel. Robotic 3D printing not only brings the advantage of saving human labor but also the possibility to produce such complex shapes in extremely short times without the need to use molds or formwork. Therefore, from both an economic and sustainability perspective, robotic 3D printing of high-strength concrete can be considered a technology of the future.
“In the capital city Prague, we like to try new materials and modern technologies. One of them is high-strength concrete, which we are using in the construction of the Štvanice footbridge, the reconstruction of the Barrandov Bridge, and we plan to use it in the reconstruction of the Libeň Bridge as well,” said Adam Scheinherr, Deputy Mayor of Prague for transportation and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of DPP.
“Within the tram infrastructure, we have several activities in partnership utilizing the latest technologies and scientific knowledge, which could be summarized under the heading of smart city projects. The opportunity to collaborate on the stop shelter project produced using 3D printing intrigued us for many reasons. Firstly, due to the use of a commonly available but unconventional material for the shelter with minimal use of steel, which is currently in short supply, furthermore due to overall material savings, maintenance-free properties, as well as incredibly fast and easy realization with countless options to customize the design and produce a shelter that would be specific to the selected location. It will be interesting to observe the effects of external and climatic factors on the shelter. We did not choose the Výstaviště stop in the loop randomly. It is a long-neglected location where we are preparing a comprehensive reconstruction of the tram track, subsequently following the reconstruction of the Správa železnic bridge, a state organization. Our intention is currently being discussed with state administration authorities, resulting in, among other things, the addition of barrier-free modifications to the stops,” stated Jan Šurovský, board member and technical director of DPP – Surface.
The project for this shelter began the company So Concrete in collaboration with DPP last year. Its processing was carried out digitally using parametric design in the Grasshopper (Rhino) program. “We use this framework to design our own software tools, which cover processes from geometry generation through topological optimization, static analysis, 3D slicers, and inverse kinematic solvers to post-processors. The focus on creating our own digital solutions allows us to quickly adapt to a wide range of standard file formats and types of geometry. Close collaboration with our clients on optimizing input digital models for our manufacturing process enables a quick transition from idea to physical object,” explains the design process Dmitrij Nikitin, robotics engineer at So Concrete.
The design of the tram shelter is based on natural principles
The parametric design of the tram stop is based on natural principles primarily in the area of breaking down forces and tensions. The shape of the stop, placement, and shapes of ribs, and columns—all of these maximally utilize the efficiency of nature-tested solutions. “Even during the design process, we conduct a static analysis of the structure, and using topological optimization we can reduce the volume of material used. The aesthetic qualities and static requirements remain preserved. The resulting morphology of the ribs reflects the real behavior of the structure under load and directly shows the forces acting within it. Thanks to optimization, we were able to remove areas with lower utility from the structure and save up to 60% of material. The result is a perforated fine structure that withstands the same load as a solid concrete slab,” explains the design process Záviš Unzeitig, designer at So Concrete.
What is digital concrete?
The most advanced digital techniques and processes allow concrete to be used in new ways that make constructing structures and infrastructure more efficient and economical. Recent developments show that new inventions, such as 3D printing of concrete structures and molds, are not only possible but are likely to dominate construction technologies in the coming years.
3D printing has the potential to produce mainly construction elements with complex shapes. This can be achieved either by printing individual components or by creating molds that allow for shaping and refining the desired constructions. Automated manufacturing strengthens off-site production, which is considered key to increasing productivity across the construction industry. Concrete elements, for example, floors and walls, are manufactured under controlled conditions in factories using digital technologies, then transported and quickly assembled on-site. This reduces construction time, lowers cost savings, and supports sustainability.
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