Workshop on Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) for Civil Infrastructure Design and Construction: Arlington, Virginia; July 13-14, 2017
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This award will support a workshop to facilitate a research agenda for additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) for civil infrastructure design and construction. Civil infrastructure includes buildings, residential homes, underground structures, utility networks/equipment, and other structures that comprise the constructed environment. This workshop will be held at the National Science Foundation in Arlington, Virginia, on July 13-14, 2017. As a rapidly growing technology, 3D printing is expected to fundamentally change the nature of manufacturing and revolutionize many areas of research in the 21st century. This workshop aims to explore a new research frontier for 3D printing in the area of civil infrastructure design and construction. The workshop will provide an interactive venue for researchers from communities of additive manufacturing, architecture, geotechnical and structural engineering, construction, and materials to address technological challenges and identify research priorities to accelerate a wide adoption of 3D printing for civil infrastructure design and construction. This, in turn, can help enhance U.S. competitiveness in manufacturing, increase cost effectiveness of civil infrastructure design and construction, prolong resilience in national infrastructure, and create jobs in related fields in the United States. The objectives of the two-day workshop include: (a) review of the state-of-the-art of 3D printing in different engineering sectors related to civil infrastructure design and construction, (b) sharing of perspectives on 3D printing for civil infrastructure design and construction from federal agencies, (c) identification of gaps and challenges in using 3D printing for civil infrastructure design and construction, and (d) formulation of recommendations for research priorities. The workshop will be composed of three activities: (a) invited talks given by experts who will present 3D printing case studies from different engineering sectors and by representatives from federal agencies who will talk about their agency''s perspectives on 3D printing in areas related to civil infrastructure design and construction, (b) panel discussions led by speakers addressing technical challenges and potential technology transfer, and (c) idea sharing presentations given by participants who will share insights about the state-of-the-art and advantages of 3D printing for civil infrastructure design and construction. The outcomes of the workshop will be made available in a workshop report.
