If you didn’t know, the Netherlands loves pedestrian and biking bridges. Perhaps because of that, they seems to have become a leader in 3D printing bridge technology.
In 2017, the Netherlands claimed the “World’s First” 3D Printed Concrete Bicycle Bridge, which was completed by team of researchers from TU Eindhoven and construction group BAM infrastructure. In 2018, MX3D finally made good on their 3-year-long promise to print the World’s First 3D Printed Steel Bridge.
Most recently, yet another 3D printing firm has emerged in the Netherlands and teamed up with Ghent University to 3D print a pedestrian walking bridge.
“This bridge showcases the range of possibilities that 3D concrete printing offers. At Vertico, we believe that this technology is the key to unlocking material optimization in structures, reducing CO2 emissions whilst simultaneously increasing productivity in the construction industry,” said Volker Ruitinga, the founder of Vertico, in a press release.
(photos above courtesy of Vertico)
3D printing companies boast that the process can, save as much as 60% of waste, reduce overall CO2 emissions caused by the production of concrete, and produce much more organic shapes than traditional concrete forming can.
The actual dimensions of the project were not released, but, from pictures, it appears to be a relatively small scale.
For a timelapse video of the project, you can check out The University of Ghent’s Concrete Lab video below:
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