JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Special Issue Smart Cities - November 2019 - 17

PROCESSING additive manufacturing

3D printing and new materials
are at the core of China's smarter cities
The urgent need to address the challenges of climate
change and China's rapid urbanization involves both
the private and public sectors. Projects are developed
on the local scale but also planned nationally.

n December 2018, a 15m-long
3D-printed bridge made from
composite materials was open
to pedestrians in Taopu Park in
Shanghai. The bridge benefited
from 3D printing technology developed by the state-owned Shanghai
Construction Group.

impact strength. It can withstand
long-term sun and rain, while meeting the requirements of 3D printing
materials and building materials.
The group ensured that the bridge's
strength and durability are in line
with national construction industry
standards.

"What is special about this bridge is its
disruptive innovation in terms of materials and construction processes", explains Chen Xiaoming, deputy chief
engineer of Shanghai Construction
Group, adding that the choice of materials was key.
After many comparisons and tests,
the construction team finally selected a material with a certain proportion of glass fibre added in ASA (an
engineering plastic), as well as anti-ageing materials, so that the bridge
has high weather resistance and high

"The bridge has a service life of up to
30 years. It can carry 250 kg per square
metre, equivalent to a minimum of 4
adults per square metre passing by at
the same time", Chen Xiaoming says.

reduction of human costs and the promotion of green construction, the entire
bridge printing process only took less
than 40 days: intelligent construction
has made a big leap ahead in terms of
speed."
Reducing waste
and human costs
Meanwhile, Shanghai also provided
a frame to one of the world's longest 3D-printed concrete pedestrian
bridges, which was completed a few
weeks later. Designed by Professor
Xu Weiguo from Tsinghua University
(School of Architecture) - Zoina
Land Joint Research Center for
Digital Architecture, the 26.3m-long
bridge was jointly built with the
Shanghai Wisdom Bay Investment
Management Company.

3D printing is not only a new way of
building, but also a subversion of the
traditional architectural model, says
the Shanghai Construction Group
in a press release. "In the bridge 3D
printing site, the printing robot left the
scene clean and tidy, without dust or
construction waste. In addition to the

Fig. 1: The single-arch
bridge structure was
created using a 3D-printed
concrete system developed by Professor Xu
Weiguo's team (photo:
Tsinghua University)

Inspired by the ancient Anji Bridge
in Zhaoxian, China, the single-arch
structure was created using a
3D-printed concrete system developed by Professor Xu Weiguo's
team, integrating digital design, cost
efficiency, smart technology, and architectural dynamism. Enclosing the
3.6m width, the bridge's handrails
are shaped like flowing ribbons on
the arch, creating a light movement
across the Shanghai Wisdom Bay
pond.
The bridge is constructed of 44
hollowed-out 3D-printed concrete
units, while the handrails are divided
into 68 units. The bridge's compo-

SPECIAL ISSUE Smart Cities / November 2019 /

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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Special Issue Smart Cities - November 2019

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