30 minutes ago, cmpbellsjc said:

I wonder what the cost is vs regular construction for identically built house? Since it’s in its infancy, I’d imagine it would probably be very expensive, although I haven’t researched or listened to the videos yet.

It is pretty cool to see and amazing how quick it is.

 

Nope, very cheap. Half the cost. Take a look at the last video I posted. Literally just a couple of guys run it. Huge saving in labour and time.

An entire community of these houses is being built in Mexico in an earthquake zone. China has a house that can take an 8.0 earthquake. 

Cavity wall construction and all services are run in the cavity. 

 

You can knock walls down if you like due to how the roof is constructed.

Edited April 16, 20215 yr by martin-w

For the curved designs like the Mars base, how does one 3D print the horizontal and near-horizontal surfaces?

1 hour ago, dmwalker said:

For the curved designs like the Mars base, how does one 3D print the horizontal and near-horizontal surfaces?

 

 

 

 

Well, that covers the vertical and near-vertical but I can't imagine it creating horizontal and near-horizontal, such as two of the examples of curved design you showed earlier and especially the one on Mars. Is there any information on how the other, existing, one was constructed?

Edited April 17, 20215 yr by dmwalker

21 hours ago, martin-w said:

On building sites the concrete is usually stored in a hopper and pumped where its needed, often to the top of very tall buildings.

That does not answer the questions I asked, to wit: "Where will they get the concrete mix? Where will they get the water?

Having to ship tons of dry concrete mix and mega-gallons of water would be prohibitively expensive one would think! 

42 minutes ago, dmwalker said:

such as two of the examples of curved design you showed earlier and especially the one on Mars

 

I recall the one envisaged for Mars was a spiderlike robot That crawled over the structure. 

 

42 minutes ago, dmwalker said:

Well, that covers the vertical and near-vertical but I can't imagine it creating horizontal and near-horizontal, such as two of the examples of curved design you showed earlier and especially the one on Mars. Is there any information on how the other, existing, one was constructed?

 

There's a gantry over the top, so sprayed from above. The curves where the opening is would need to be smoothed off by hand. Not sure how they do the overhang on the roof though. 

 

Not related to the fancy one you mention, but the video below is interesting...

 

 

 

Edited April 17, 20215 yr by martin-w

26 minutes ago, n4gix said:

That does not answer the questions I asked, to wit: "Where will they get the concrete mix? Where will they get the water?

Having to ship tons of dry concrete mix and mega-gallons of water would be prohibitively expensive one would think! 

 

  The raw materials, like sand and cement are no different to any other building site, would be delivered by lorry. As always on a building site. Water is via the mains supply the same as any other building site, unless its off grid of course. If no mains supply available, its delivered by tanker. 

Cost of sand, cement, water for the printed house is no different to a conventional brick house with hundreds of bricks, brick laying sand and cement, wall ties, lintels, RSJ's etc. And given the price of bricks I would think cheaper. 

Wooden framed house no different. Timber has to be delivered fixings, plaster board, insulation, damp proof membranes and all the materials required for the construction.   

Edited April 17, 20215 yr by martin-w

28 minutes ago, n4gix said:

"Where will they get the concrete mix? Where will they get the water?

The video "The First 10,000 Days on Mars" said the printing material would be a mix of Martian soil and lab grown plants. It assumes an adequate supply of underground water but I'm not sure how they would balance the need for plants to be used in construction and the need for plants to grow food and provide essential compost.

Sorry. I'm conflating Earth construction with Mars construction.

Edited April 17, 20215 yr by dmwalker

17 minutes ago, martin-w said:

  The raw materials, like sand and cement are no different to any other building site, would be delivered by lorry. As always on a building site. Water is via the mains supply the same as any other building site, unless its off grid of course. If no mains supply available, its delivered by tanker. 

I don't think Home Depot or Lowes have any stores yet on Mars, much less any lorrys with which to deliver their non-existent materials...

Also, I don't believe anyone has actually found a water source on Mars yet, aside from the frozen ice caps.

Oh! You were thinking I was asking about terrestrial use, n'est pas? I assumed that the mention of requiring air tight sealing and airlocks would provide the needed context. Silly me! 

7 minutes ago, dmwalker said:

The video "The First 10,000 Days on Mars" said the printing material would be a mix of Martian soil and lab grown plants. It assumes an adequate supply of underground water but I'm not sure how they would balance the need for plants to be used in construction and the need for plants to grow food and provide essential compost.

Sorry. I'm conflating Earth construction with Mars construction.

 

For Mars or Moon its just speculation how it would be done, all hypothetical at the moment. Printed houses here on planet Earth are of course a reality now. Really taking off. I find it interesting that they are being used in earthquake zones. And the Chinese house that can take an 8.0 earthquake is astonishing.

 

I have to say, its not usually basic concrete, there are various additives to make the printing go smoothly. 

8 minutes ago, n4gix said:

Oh! You were thinking I was asking about terrestrial use, n'est pas? 

 

Haha, yes I was. 🙂 All hypothetical for Mars. 

Water can be extracted from the soil on Mars actually, it has trace amounts.  Between 40 and 45 degrees North latitude is expected to have sufficient.  The Martian soil has been said to be suitable to make concrete. 

 

 

 

Edited April 17, 20215 yr by martin-w