skip to main content
10.1145/3328939.3329003acmconferencesArticle/Chapter ViewAbstractPublication PagessiggraphConference Proceedingsconference-collections
research-article

3D-printed formwork for bespoke concrete stairs: from computational design to digital fabrication

Published: 16 June 2019 Publication History

Abstract

Non-standard stairs have an important role in architecture, but their complex details and three-dimensionality pose significant fabrication challenges. One of the preferred materials for custom stairs is concrete, which can be cast in complex shapes, the only limitation in this case being the fabrication of the necessary formworks.
This paper reviews the opportunities and challenges of using 3D-printed formwork for fabricating custom concrete stairs with complex geometries (Fig. 1). 3D printing can unlock an entirely new vocabulary of shapes for concrete structures, previously unavailable with traditional formwork systems. Only a minimal amount of 3D-printed plastic is required to deliver a very thin, stable shell. With these formworks, complex topologies can be achieved in concrete elements. Such elements can optimize the structural performance or improve functional aspects, as well as introduce a radically different aesthetic.

References

[1]
B Dillenburger (2016). "Incidental Space" im Schweizer Pavillon. TEC21, (23/2016).
[2]
G Flaubert (1967). The Dictionary of Accepted Ideas, Penguin Books, Canada, pp 15.
[3]
J.B Gardiner and S.R Janssen (2014). FreeFab. Development of a Construction-Scale Robotic Formwork 3D Printer (pp. 131--146).
[4]
J.B Gardiner, S Janssen and N Kirchner (2016). A realisation of a construction scale robotic system for 3D printing of complex formwork. In ISARC 2016-33rd International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction.
[5]
A Jipa, M Bernhard, M.A Meibodi and B Dillenburger (2016). 3D-Printed Stay-in-Place Formwork for Topologically Optimized Concrete Slabs. In K. Bieg (Ed.), 2016 TxA Emerging Design + Technology (pp. 96--107). San Antonio, Texas, USA.
[6]
A Jipa, M Bernhard and B Dillenburger (2017). Submillimeter Formwork. 3D Printed Plastic Formwork for Concrete Elements. In Kory Bieg (Ed.), TxA Emerging Design + Technology (p. 9). Austin, Texas, USA: Texas Society of Architects.
[7]
A Jipa, M Bernhard, M, N Ruffray, T Wangler, R Flatt and B Dillenburger (2017). skelETHon Formwork 3D Printed Plastic Formwork for Load-Bearing Concrete Structures. XXI Congreso Internacional de La Sociedad Iberoamericana de Gráfica Digital, 3(12), 345--352.
[8]
B Khoshnevis and R Dutton (1998). Innovative rapid prototyping process makes large sized, smooth surfaced complex shapes in a wide variety of materials. Materials Technology, 13(2), 53--56.
[9]
B Khoshnevis (2004). Automated construction by contour crafting - related robotics and information technologies. Automation in Construction, 13(1), 5--19.
[10]
R Koolhaas (2014). Elements - Stair. In J. Westcott, S. Trüby, & B. Davis (Eds.), Elements (Vol. 12). Marsilio, Rizzoli Universe Int. Pub.
[11]
C Leopold (2019) Geometry of Stairs. In: Cocchiarella L. (eds) ICGG 2018 - Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Geometry and Graphics. ICGG 2018. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 809. Springer, Cham
[12]
M.A Meibodi, A Jipa, R Giesecke, D Shammas, M Bernhard, M Leschok, K Graser and B Dillenburger (2018). Smart Slab: Computational Design and Digital Fabrication of a Lightweight Concrete Slab. In ACADIA Re/Calibration: On Imprecision and Infidelity, 320--327.
[13]
F Mielke (1993). Handbuch der Treppenkunde. Verlag Th. Schäfer.
[14]
P Morel and T Schwartz (2015). Automated Casting Systems for Spatial Concrete Lattices. In Modelling Behaviour (pp. 213--223). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
[15]
B Peters (2014). Additive Formwork: 3D Printed Flexible Formwork. In ACADIA 14: Design Agency (pp. 517--522). Los Angeles.
[16]
G Steven, O Querin, M Xie (2000). Evolutionary structural optimisation (ESO) for combined topology and size optimisation of discrete structures. Computer methods in applied mechanics and engineering, 188(4), 743--754.
[17]
V.R Ruhl, (1997). Computer-aided Design and Manufacturing of Complex Shaped Concrete Formwork. Harvard University.
[18]
S Wang, S Dritsas, P Morel and K Ho (2011). Clay robotics. Challenges for Technology Innovation, (1), 83--88.

Cited By

View all
  • (2025)Sustainable raw-earth blocks achieved with 3D-printed formworks: parametric modeling, prototyping, and laboratory testingArchitectural Science Review10.1080/00038628.2025.2465486(1-13)Online publication date: 13-Feb-2025
  • (2024)Large-Scale Hollow-Core 3D Printing: Variable Cross-Section and Printing Features for Lightweight Plastic Elements3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing10.1089/3dp.2023.028711:3(907-918)Online publication date: 1-Jun-2024
  • (2024)Leveraging clay formwork 3D printing for reinforced concrete constructionVirtual and Physical Prototyping10.1080/17452759.2024.236773519:1Online publication date: 10-Jul-2024
  • Show More Cited By

Index Terms

  1. 3D-printed formwork for bespoke concrete stairs: from computational design to digital fabrication

      Recommendations

      Comments

      Information & Contributors

      Information

      Published In

      cover image ACM Conferences
      SCF '19: Proceedings of the 3rd Annual ACM Symposium on Computational Fabrication
      June 2019
      106 pages
      ISBN:9781450367950
      DOI:10.1145/3328939
      Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

      Sponsors

      Publisher

      Association for Computing Machinery

      New York, NY, United States

      Publication History

      Published: 16 June 2019

      Permissions

      Request permissions for this article.

      Check for updates

      Author Tags

      1. 3D printing
      2. architecture
      3. computational design
      4. concrete
      5. formwork
      6. stair

      Qualifiers

      • Research-article

      Funding Sources

      • Swiss National Science Foundation

      Conference

      SCF '19
      Sponsor:
      SCF '19: Symposium on Computational Fabrication
      June 16 - 18, 2019
      Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh

      Contributors

      Other Metrics

      Bibliometrics & Citations

      Bibliometrics

      Article Metrics

      • Downloads (Last 12 months)95
      • Downloads (Last 6 weeks)10
      Reflects downloads up to 18 Feb 2025

      Other Metrics

      Citations

      Cited By

      View all
      • (2025)Sustainable raw-earth blocks achieved with 3D-printed formworks: parametric modeling, prototyping, and laboratory testingArchitectural Science Review10.1080/00038628.2025.2465486(1-13)Online publication date: 13-Feb-2025
      • (2024)Large-Scale Hollow-Core 3D Printing: Variable Cross-Section and Printing Features for Lightweight Plastic Elements3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing10.1089/3dp.2023.028711:3(907-918)Online publication date: 1-Jun-2024
      • (2024)Leveraging clay formwork 3D printing for reinforced concrete constructionVirtual and Physical Prototyping10.1080/17452759.2024.236773519:1Online publication date: 10-Jul-2024
      • (2024)CadenzaScalable Disruptors10.1007/978-3-031-68275-9_42(520-532)Online publication date: 30-Aug-2024
      • (2023)Exploration of Advanced Fabrication Techniques for Organic Shaped Energy Dissipators in SpillwaysJournal of Advanced Concrete Technology10.3151/jact.21.26221:4(262-270)Online publication date: 25-Apr-2023
      • (2023)Circular Formwork: Recycling of 3D Printed Thermoplastic Formwork for ConcreteTechnology|Architecture + Design10.1080/24751448.2023.22457247:2(204-215)Online publication date: 16-Nov-2023
      • (2023)Eggshell Pavilion: a reinforced concrete structure fabricated using robotically 3D printed formworkConstruction Robotics10.1007/s41693-023-00090-x7:2(213-233)Online publication date: 16-Feb-2023
      • (2022)Optimum selection of reinforcement, assembly, and formwork system for digital fabrication technique in construction industry – A critical reviewStructures10.1016/j.istruc.2022.10.09446(725-749)Online publication date: Dec-2022
      • (2022)Environmental stress cracking of 3D-printed polymers exposed to concreteAdditive Manufacturing10.1016/j.addma.2022.10302658(103026)Online publication date: Oct-2022
      • (2022)Topology optimization for 3D concrete printing with various manufacturing constraintsAdditive Manufacturing10.1016/j.addma.2022.10298257(102982)Online publication date: Sep-2022
      • Show More Cited By

      View Options

      Login options

      View options

      PDF

      View or Download as a PDF file.

      PDF

      eReader

      View online with eReader.

      eReader

      Figures

      Tables

      Media

      Share

      Share

      Share this Publication link

      Share on social media