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Manufacturing of complex concave structures using additive manufacturing techniques
Developing additive manufacturing processes to produce complex shapes like tetrapods and dolos.
Keywords: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing, concave structures
**Background**
Artificially manufactured aggregates are investigated for the use in high strength, high porosity asphalt concrete. So far mineral aggregates made from crushed rock are used in road pavements (image: asphalt aggregates). The idea is to optimize the shape of synthetic aggregates using discrete element method computer simulations to achieve high strength with possibly high porosity. Tetrapods or so called dolosse are ideal candidates for artificial aggregate shapes (image: tetrapod shape, dolos shape). Possible materials for the manufacturing of these shapes are ceramics which may contain fly ash, a waste product from combustion processes.
**Description & aim of the project**
(duration: 6 months)
The goal of the project is to determine a suitable process to manufacture batches of several hundred of the artificial aggregates in the size of 10-30 mm. Initially plastic aggregates will be produced to be used in structural testing, to determine the optimal aggregate shape and to validate the computer simulations done in parallel in the framework of a PhD thesis. Possible manufacturing techniques include but are not limited to:
- 3D printing of the aggregate directly
- 3D printing of a permanent casting mold for the aggregates
- 3D printing of an expendable casting mold which is dissolvable after casting the aggregates
**Background**
Artificially manufactured aggregates are investigated for the use in high strength, high porosity asphalt concrete. So far mineral aggregates made from crushed rock are used in road pavements (image: asphalt aggregates). The idea is to optimize the shape of synthetic aggregates using discrete element method computer simulations to achieve high strength with possibly high porosity. Tetrapods or so called dolosse are ideal candidates for artificial aggregate shapes (image: tetrapod shape, dolos shape). Possible materials for the manufacturing of these shapes are ceramics which may contain fly ash, a waste product from combustion processes.
**Description & aim of the project** (duration: 6 months)
The goal of the project is to determine a suitable process to manufacture batches of several hundred of the artificial aggregates in the size of 10-30 mm. Initially plastic aggregates will be produced to be used in structural testing, to determine the optimal aggregate shape and to validate the computer simulations done in parallel in the framework of a PhD thesis. Possible manufacturing techniques include but are not limited to: - 3D printing of the aggregate directly - 3D printing of a permanent casting mold for the aggregates - 3D printing of an expendable casting mold which is dissolvable after casting the aggregates
The task of the student is to evaluate the different techniques and different plastics. This includes making printable digital models of the shapes and adjusting the process parameters of the 3D printer to the chosen materials.
The task of the student is to evaluate the different techniques and different plastics. This includes making printable digital models of the shapes and adjusting the process parameters of the 3D printer to the chosen materials.
Nicholas Conzelmann (PhD Student Empa/ETH) nconzelm@ethz.ch
Nicholas Conzelmann (PhD Student Empa/ETH) nconzelm@ethz.ch