Title of the Project: Rhizomatic off-Earth Habitat
Subject: ESA-funded research into constructing habitats in empty lava tubes on Mars. A swarm of autonomous mobile robots developed at TUD scans the caves, mines for in situ resource utilisation (ISRU), and with the excavated regolith that is mixed with cement constructs the habitat by means of automated and Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) supported Design-to-Robotic-Production-Assembly and -Operation (D2RPA&O) methods developed at TUD. The production and operation of the habitat are explored by combining an automated kite-power system with solar panels in a microgrid with the goal to develop an autarkic D2RPA&O system for building off-Earth subsurface habitats from locally-obtained materials.
Research Questions: How to develop an autarkic D2RPA&O system for building off-Earth subsurface 3D printed habitats from locally-obtained materials?
Outputs: Numerical and experimental studies tested in the TUD and Vertico labs, publications such as Spool CpA (2021) and Springer AE (2023).
Contact persons: Henriette Bier
General info: The project has been implemented 2020-22, with various researchers from TUD, Vertico, and ESA, who funded the project (http://www.roboticbuilding.eu/project/rhizome-development-of-an-autarkic-design-to-robotic-production-and-operation-system-for-building-off-earth-habitats/).
Title of the Project: Scalable Porosity
Subject: The 4TU-funded project focused on development of additive Design-to-Robotic-Production (D2RP) methods that by additive layering ceramic clay generate variable porosities based on considerations involving structural and printing optimisation. The overall goal is to reduce material use and increase production speed in order to contribute to a positive environmental impact. This project has been the basis for advancing AM in the Robotic Building lab since 2014.
Research Questions: How to 3D print optimised structures that involve reduction of material use and increase of production speed in order to contribute to a positive environmental impact.
Outputs: Numerical and experimental studies tested in the RB lab, publications and exhibits such as Springer AE (2018) and Centre Pompidou (2018).
Contact persons: Henriette Bier
General info: The project has been implemented 2014-17, with various researchers from TUD and external partners (http://www.roboticbuilding.eu/project/scalable-porosity/). It has been funded by 4TU.
Title of the Project: Circular Wood for the Neighbourhood
Subject: NWO-funded project explored biomimetic architecture in the times of the 4th industrial revolution as an architectural intervention in a building from the 2nd industrial era. The main architectural intervention is a new atrium for the historic building. The computational design relies on biomimetic simulations, structural and robotic path optimizations. By using reclaimed wood elements that are glued and milled into larger curvilinear components connected to topologically optimized 3D-printed metal nodes the project not only addresses the current quest for circularity but also takes advantage of the most recent robotic technology developed at TU Delft and HvA.
Research Questions: How to 3D-print topologically optimized metal nodes to connect curvilinear components made of reclaimed wood and thus advance high-performance and Circular Economy (CE) approaches in architecture?
Outputs: Numerical and experimental studies tested in the TUD and HvA labs, publications and exhibits such as ISARC (2020) and DDW (2020).
Contact persons: Henriette Bier
General info: The project has been implemented 2020-22, with various researchers from TUD and external partners. It has been supported by NWO (http://www.roboticbuilding.eu/project/wood-reuse/).
Title of the Project: Bio-cyber-physical Planetoid
Subject: This project is a collaboration between Landscape Architecture (LA) and Robotic Building (RB) at TU Delft. It implements minimum interventions that stimulate both biodiversity and social accessibility of residual spaces. The interventions take shape in form of 0.5-1-meter diameter ‘planetoids’ prototyped using Design-to-Robotic-Production and -Operation (D2RP&O) techniques involving 3D printing and sensor-actuator technologies. Materials are 90% wood-based biopolymer and 10% climate control sensors that are embedded in the ‘planetoid’ to collect and share data with neighbours and passers-by via wireless networks.
Research Questions: How to develop high-performance building components while reducing material use and production time by employing optimisation routines and combining AM with Circular Economy (CE) principles for instance recyclable wood-based biopolymers from recycled sawdust (shown in the figure)?
Outputs: Numerical and experimental studies tested in the RB and 3D Robot Printing labs, publications and exhibits such as Spool CpA (2021) and SHErobots (2022).
Contact persons: Henriette Bier
General info: The project has been implemented 2020-21, with various researchers from TUD, UniFri, PoliMi and industrial partners (http://www.roboticbuilding.eu/project/d2rp-for-product-from-landscape-microruin-lab/). It has been supported by NOW and involved partners.
Title of the Project: Variable Stiffness
Subject: Variable stiffness is employed in this project as an adaptation strategy to achieve multi-functionality. The chaise longue can change shape to accommodate functions as both bed and chair depending on users’ requirement. Through numerical and experimental studies employing structural analysis, robotic path simulations, and 3D robotic printing an architected approach to adaptive structures is implemented. The geometry of the Chaise Longue is generated to accommodate an average human body size and weight, within a certain range, either sitting down and/or lying. It allows the user to either sit or lie down by deforming the back part of the chaise-longue when leaning against it. The actuation is implemented by the weight of the user. This shape change is achieved by combining variation in material distribution and use of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE).
Research Questions: How to 3D print high-performance building components using computationally and robotically optimised architected material approaches?
Outputs: Numerical and experimental studies tested in the RB and 3D Robot Printing labs, publications and exhibits such as Spool CpA (2018) and DDW (2019).
Contact persons: Henriette Bier
General info: The project has been implemented 2017-18, with various researchers from TUD and external partners. It has been supported by 4TU and involved partners (http://www.roboticbuilding.eu/project/variable-stiffness/)