Advanced

methods of
Building
Construction

GROUP 5-7B

SNEHA, NITHIN,

ABHIRAMI, RUPALI,

SHREYES, S.SIDDHARTH
Introduction •The building construction industry has been largely the same over the past
century. Presently, we use traditional construction methods, including
transporting building components individually, for on-site construction.

•Recent advancements in materials and methods have improved energy efficiency,

indoor air quality, and occupant comfort, and novel construction practices.

•The Department of Energy’s Advanced Building Construction (ABC) initiative, which

is led by the Building Technologies Office (BTO), is specifically focusing on
integrating energy efficient solutions into highly productive U.S. construction
practices for new buildings and retrofits.

•There have been significant advances in manufacturing processes and material

science in recent years although, the construction industry is comparatively slow
to adapt.

WHY IS IT NECESSARY?

Dramatic changes as to how buildings are constructed and what materials are used
could lead to improvements in energy efficiency, worker safety, occupant health
and comfort, new business opportunities and reduced costs, as well as more
specific improvements in flexible usage or rapid on-site construction.
Recent Developments
•The building construction industry has recently seen modularization in the
construction process and building portions of buildings (walls or
apartment units) in an assembly-line-style factory.

•This allows construction to occur indoors, unaffected by weather, and

reduces completion time by creating tasks that can either be automated
or improved by repetition.

• Modularization offers many new business opportunities and new jobs

while simultaneously improving worker safety.

•In addition, the cost of construction is lower—potentially up to 20% less

and streamlined because of these process improvements, but companies
are still generally using traditional construction materials and methods.

•Cost savings under current practices come from buying material in bulk
and reducing on-site delays from weather, among other things.
 •Novel and innovative solutions for materials or manufacturing processes could lead
to dramatic improvements in energy efficiency, durability, and other amenities.

•3D printing and increasing the use of automation are examples of innovative
methods that have been applied to buildings.

•Energy savings, improved occupant comfort, and indoor environment can also be
achieved by increasing the precision of the materials (less air leakage, for example)
and by reducing the time that materials are exposed to the elements.

•Buildings are currently designed and built for a single primary use, and changing that
requires significant construction for remodelling. Using novel materials and designs
to make buildings more configurable, such as changes to the way interior walls (and
all the embedded infrastructure) are built to be more conducive to adaptation.

•Another potential driver could be localized disaster response to disasters such as

hurricanes or forest fires. Temporary housing can be made durable, energy efficient,
and comfortable could be prebuilt and flat-packed, ready to be shipped to places of
An architectural projects labour costs can need with minimal labour and deconstructed, relocated, and repurposed as needed.
be reduced by up to 80% by having most
construction completed by 3D printers!
CAD/CAM
•CAD/CAM, which stands for computer-aided design/computer-aided
manufacturing, is a general term for a variety of technologies,
including computer numerical control, rapid prototyping, component
modelling and design software.

•CAD/CAM technologies were developed during the 1980s and are

now widespread in construction and design industries.

Advantages:

1. Software Flexibility: CAD software enables design changes to be

made rapidly. Before CAD, a particular design change would have
required a drafts person to completely redraw the design to the
new specification.

2. Design Flexibility: CAD/CAM is rapid prototyping. Rapid

prototyping allows designers to construct physical prototypes
during the design process. These physical prototypes can be used
to test various aspects of the design
3. Automatic Specification Checking: Using CAD software enables the designer
to automatically check if the design is within specification. CAD software also
enables clients to view designs at an earlier stage in the design process than
is usually the case. CAM also enables clients to check the progress of
functional and semi-functional prototypes at a much earlier stage than is
possible in the traditional design process.

Disadvantages:

1. Processing Power Limitations: CAD software often consumes large amounts

of computer processing power. This requires high-quality computer
hardware that can be costly. CAM requires advanced manufacturing devices
that are also pricey.

2. Software Complexity: complexity of CAD makes it more difficult for first-

time users to learn the software.

3. Maintenance and Upkeep: The computers and devices needed for CAD/CAM
need to be maintained, which can be a drain on available resources.
3D printing
•3D printed buildings can easily lay structures using curvilinear forms
instead of typical rectilinear forms which makes them a lot more
durable.

•Structures walls are normally hollowed out to allow for utility lines
to pass-through and reduce the amount of materials used.

•Less material not only adds to the durability but also saves a ton of
money on the construction costs for the architects and contractors
using 3D printing. Photo showing walls under construction. The walls are about 9" thick, and
consist of an outer layer on each side linked by a diagonal plane of material
that zigzags between the two outer leaves.
Pros of 3D Printed Construction

1. Lower Construction Costs- 3D printed buildings have much lower

building costs than those built with traditional methods because
of the reductions in raw material and more importantly labour.

2. Reduced Construction Waste and environmentally friendly-

while using very little energy the printed construction will only
generate about 30% of the waste that a normal construction
project produces.
3. Increased Design Shapes- 3D printing can create design shapes and customization
that isn’t possible or would be super expensive if done by regular construction.

4. Reduced Construction Time- Using a 3D printer to complete a building project can

massively reduce the construction period. Getting a house built with 3D technology
can be completed in about a month in a half compared to the normal 6 month
construction period. This can be extremely beneficial during an emergency
situation where structures need to be built in as little time as possible.

Cons of 3D Printed Construction:

1. Building Codes. There are no regulations or processes to get 3D printed buildings approved
for residential or commercial use.

2. Material Types. The material that can be delivered from the printer head is pretty much
limited to just concrete and plastics.

3. Engineering Compatibility- traditional blueprints are not compatible for use with a 3D
printer
Types of advanced building construction
Hybrid Concrete Building Technique

•This technique expedites construction turnaround

time by blending the advantages of concrete pre-
casting with the in-situ building. Quality improves,
whereas the cost of construction reduces. Hybrid
concrete structures are easy to build, competitive in
nature and perform consistently.

Insulating Concrete Formwork (ICF) Technique

• ICF technique employs polystyrene blocks that

feature twin walls and can be rapidly put
together for creating building wall formwork.
The formwork is then pumped in with high
quality, ready mixed, factory-made concrete.
The resultant structure has a high level of
sound and thermal insulation.
Thin Joint Masonry Technique

•Utilization of this technique leads to the reduced used

of mortar. Applied by slashing its depth from 10mm to
lesser than 3mm.

•Within a single day, the number of mortar courses laid

is higher as curing of mortar takes place quickly
without compromising on bonding strength.

Pre-cast Foundation Technique

• Utilization of this technique leads to the reduced

used of mortar. Applied by slashing its depth from
10mm to lesser than 3mm.

• Within a single day, the number of mortar courses

laid is higher as curing of mortar takes place quickly
without compromising on bonding strength.