Germany: HeidelbergCement says that it has supplied concrete for the construction of an 80m2 two-storey detached house in Beckum, North Rhine-Westphalia. The concrete contains i.tech 3D, a ground sulphoaluminate clinker developed by HeidelbergCement subsidiary Italcementi for use as an additive in concrete for 3D printing. Engineering & Innovation head Jennifer Scheydt said, “The development of a cement-bound material for 3D printing is a major challenge. It should be easy to pump and extrude. It must also quickly develop sufficient load-bearing capacity so that the lower layers do not give out under the load of the upper layers. At the same time, the bond between the layers must be ensured.”
The property, the first of its kind, will consist of three-shelled insulation-filled walls when completed in late 2020.