Home 3D printed in just five days can survive Richter 7 earthquakes

Interesting Engineering carries an article about the entire project which was completed in just two months, and can withstand earthqaukes up to Richter 7 magnitude, Caliber.Az reprints the article.

Central Asia’s first-ever 3D-printed house has been completed in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Its main structure was printed in just five days, with the fitting out of the house completed within two months.

BM Partners completed the project, and the building was designed to withstand Richter 7 earthquakes. This was achieved using extra-strong concrete, which is usually used to build large structures like skyscrapers and bridges.

The unnamed house has a floor area of 1,076 ft2 (100 m2) and is designed to withstand the region’s extreme temperature variations. It also includes expanded polystyrene concrete as insulation.

This groundbreaking house was created by BM Partners and constructed using one of COBOD’s BOD2 models, which also built Europe’s largest data center.

First-ever 3D-printed house in Central Asia

Although the idea of 3D-printing houses has existed for several years, technology has only recently advanced enough to make it a practical solution. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the construction industry by making housing more affordable and accessible.

This is especially the case in areas where traditional construction methods are too expensive or time-consuming.

“Embracing modern technologies is essential in today’s world. Our company is committed to staying at the forefront of technological advancements with 3D construction printing within our country,” explained Marat Oshakhtiev, CEO of BM Partners.

“With this project, our company has confidently stepped into the future, addressing Kazakhstan’s urgent need for earthquake-resistant, modernized, efficient, and resilient housing solutions,” he added.

BM Partners used a special high-strength concrete mix for the main structure with a compression strength of almost 60 MPa (8500 PSI). This substantially exceeds the 7-10 MPa (1015-1450 PSI) typically found in conventional brick and stone used in Kazakhstan.

This mixture, made of locally sourced cement, sand, and gravel, is enhanced with the D.fab admixture. COBOD International and Cemex developed this formula.

According to COBOD, it enables the creation of custom concrete blends suited to the specific needs of different regions. Given Kazakhstan’s extreme climate, ranging from -135 to +120 degrees Fahrenheit (-57 to +49 degrees Celsius), the building uses expanded polystyrene concrete as insulation for the walls, improving their thermal and acoustic performance.

Finished by hand

“This project once again demonstrates that 3D printed buildings are built to last, also when made in earthquake high-risk areas. We are proud to have developed the solution that enabled BM Partners to complete this project fully within just two months and using extra strong 3D printable concrete made from locally sourced materials,” Henrik Lund-Nielsen, Founder and General Manager of COBOD International, explained.

Once the walls were completed, human builders came in to add windows, doors, and anything else needed, including furniture. The entire project, from the initial printer setup to finishing installing the furniture, was completed in only 2 months.

The house’s simple layout features generous glazing and a large living room. The building will now serve as a showroom to demonstrate the capabilities of 3D-printed construction.