WP19 – Rein4Concrete

The project will consist in the development of robotic hybrid construction systems as part of a comprehensive digital ecosystem for the manufacturing of parts and structures for the construction sector. The project advocates the use of sustainable construction materials, reintroducing inorganic industrial waste into their composition, within a circular economy approach. The general objective is to combine the advantages that come with the Additive Manufacturing (AM) method with the degree of quality provided by the more traditional construction method with blocks.

The project will focus on developing a collaborative hybrid construction technology using specialized robotic systems, operating within a digital ecosystem developed to design, plan, monitor and control all phases of the construction or manufacturing process.

The aim is to develop hybrid construction technological solutions to enable the production of structures without molds, allowing for ample freedom of shape, innovative design in large dimensions, with high degrees of performance and sustainability.

The specific objectives of the project are:

• Development of robotic hybrid construction systems using collaborative manufacturing technologies.
• Moving and placing building blocks using pick-and-place systems.
• Deposition of cementitious mortar using extrusion techniques.
• Development of a comprehensive digital ecosystem, covering all phases of the construction or manufacturing process, including designing, planning, monitoring and control, based on the most direct and customizable digital interaction between the different links in the value chain.
• Development of a digital interface tool for designing that enables end customers to co-create structures, parts or artifacts.
• Development of a calculation tool that takes 3D digital models and obtains optimized construction trajectories for each structure or part, including a visualization module for operations.
• Development of a simplified user interface for intuitive supervision, control, and operation of the entire collaborative manufacturing system.
• Development of a digital tool (Digital Twin) to interact with the system.
• Development and optimization of sustainable construction materials by incorporating recycled aggregates from inorganic industrial waste for use in the recommended hybrid construction system.

Ecologically, in terms of the marine environment, the project aims to study the creation of artificial reefs with cementitious materials, incorporating stone waste and shards of oyster shells and other bivalves. Additionally, the aim is to study the type of three-dimensional structures and materials suitable for the fixation of flora and fauna.