Missouri S&T – News and Events – S&T awarded $1.4 million from Army Corps to develop AI-based program for 3D printing concrete
A Missouri S&T research team led by Dr. Kamal Khayat has been awarded $1.4 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to develop an artificial intelligence program that will determine the best locally-available materials for 3D-printed concrete.
This technology will enable the Army Corps of Engineers to quickly print concrete structures in 3D without the need for large quantities of building materials.
“By harnessing the power of AI, our research team aims to streamline the process of material selection, ensuring optimal performance and cost-effectiveness,” says Khayat, S&T’s vice chancellor for research and innovation. “The AI program will evaluate a wide range of locally-available materials in various areas and identify the most appropriate combinations for 3D printing concrete.
“This will enhance the efficiency of the construction process, improve troop safety, pave the way for more sustainable practices and help expedite humanitarian assistance missions.”
Khayat also serves as S&T’s Vernon and Maralee Jones Professor of Civil Engineering and was listed as a top researcher in his field in an analysis by Stanford University. In this interdisciplinary effort, Khayat is leading researchers who have expertise in materials engineering and science, civil engineering and computer science.
With this program, you can create everything from temporary barracks and bridges to guardhouses or defense obstacles.
The team’s goal is to have 50% or more of the materials be indigenous, or local, to replace traditional cement materials. The materials will undergo testing to see if they can be easily pumped, extrusion and used for building.
Materials that could be used include natural minerals, industrial waste and agricultural waste. Examples are rice husk, palm oil fuel, dolomite, and ground glass. Khayat claims that these materials can also improve the sustainability of local communities and bring economic benefits to local areas.
Khayat’s team will also consider a variety of fibers to reinforce the 3D-printed structures. Metal and synthetic structural fibres will be evaluated, but also fibers from plants and recycled material, including bamboo, coconut fiber, glass, hemp and cellulose.
“This will be a comprehensive project that will make a significant difference in the mobility of our troops,” Khayat says. “The amount of supply chain issues for materials will be greatly reduced, as will the construction costs. Missouri S&T is a leading university for researching novel 3D printing of concrete materials, and we are proud to answer the federal government’s call to help with this important work.”
Khayat joined S&T’s faculty in 2011. He has been a pioneer for many years in the area of high-performance, adapted concrete-rheology concretes including self-consolidating cement. His efforts have been recognized with multiple awards, including the Robert E. Philleo award from the American Concrete Institute Foundation’s Concrete Research Council and the lifetime achievement award at the International RILEM Conference on Rheology and Processing of Construction Materials.
About Missouri S&T
Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System and located in Rolla, Missouri, Missouri S&T offers 101 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top 10 universities for return on investment, according to Business Insider. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.