The "Mountaintop Experience Program" allows teams of students (mainly undergraduates) to spend a summer immersed in scientific research. The project is student-driven, but includes the supervision of faculty.
A team of three motivated students from three different departments at Lehigh University is spending 10 weeks of their summer investigating a novel methodology for additive manufacturing of concrete structural elements, under the guidance of Drs. Naito, Bocchini, and Fox (CEE).
How can concrete be produced using a 3D printer? Although concrete is arguably the most widely used building material in modern construction, its primary drawback is the requirement of the costly formwork needed to shape and support itself during initial construction. This project will build on initial work begun last summer at Mountaintop. The team will work with 3D printer manufacturer Exone, as well as Buzzi Unicem USA, a global leader in cement production, who will be providing their expertise as well as specialty products to develop new 3D printing technology and innovate useable printed concrete.
Ian Black
Undergraduate student in Chemical Engineering.
Nicholas D’Angelo
Graduate student in Material Science and Engineering.
