An Iowa State University research group led by Dr. Eric Faierson was onsite at Ft. McCoy, Wisconsin in September for a concrete 3D printing demonstration as part of the Additive Construction of Maneuver Enabling Technology (ACME Tech) research project. The research, sponsored by the US Army Engineering Research and Development Center (ERDC) is led by prime contractor Applied Research Associates (ARA) with support from Iowa State University, University of Arkansas, and Robotic Construction Technologies (RCT). The research purpose is to advance additive construction, concrete 3D printing technology, for military utility, including the use of indigenous soil materials in concrete mixes for expeditionary military applications. The multi-weeks long event consisted of mobilizing the prototype concrete 3D printer to the worksite, characterizing indigenous soils, processing indigenous materials, creating 3D printable concrete mixes, 3D printing structures of relevance in expeditionary military environments, and providing training on the technology to US Army personnel.
Selected images of the work throughout the demonstration are provided at the link below.