Sustainability and Automation: The Future of Concrete Industry

3.0 credits · Undergraduate

The construction industry is currently facing many challenges with respect to shortage of skilled workers, greenhouse gas emissions, and use of non-sustainable construction materials with high embodied carbon. Robotic construction enables efficient use of materials, reduction of waste generated and the ability to fabricate complex, multi-scale structures. In this course students will learn the principles of designing new structural elements with reduced embodied carbon. The course will introduce sustainable construction materials and the challenges associated with material variability and quality on building design. Students will learn the differences between standard construction techniques and advances enabled through automation. Students will reimagine and design complex, yet efficient member shapes and connections. They will evaluate the performance of these newly designed members using structural modeling and laboratory techniques.