The Angolan Housing Crisis
The housing deficit in Angola has reached alarming levels, with Power2Build estimates indicating a shortfall of approximately three million homes. This situation is particularly dire in Luanda, one of the fastest-growing cities on the African continent.
The Solution: Power2Build’s 3D Concrete Printing Technology
Power2Build, an Angolan construction startup, aims to address this housing deficit through the use of automated 3D concrete printing technology. This innovative method uses large-scale construction printers from Danish company COBOD to accelerate construction timelines and improve building quality.
Key Stages of the 3D Concrete Printing Process
- Data Preparation:
- 3D forms are sliced into thin, flat layers of constant thickness, which can then be stacked sequentially.
- Each layer typically consists of a contour and an internal fill pattern, such as honeycomb structures or space-filling curves.
- An alternative method uses tangential continuity, generating construction paths with locally varying thicknesses.
Material Preparation
- Power2Build uses locally sourced materials and conventional cement in its concrete mix, which includes:
- Cement 42.5 N, fine sand, gravel (4/6 mm),
- The D. Fab Alfa plasticizer additive, the D. Fab Beta additive for consistency, and Isoxel as a hardener.
The Printing Process
- The printing system must be controlled by either a gantry setup or a robotic arm.
- A gantry system positions the nozzle within an XYZ coordinate framework, while robotic arms provide additional degrees of freedom, enabling advanced techniques such as tangential continuity printing.
The Impact of 3D Concrete Printing on the Labor Landscape
The integration of 3D printing technology into mass housing construction reshapes the labor landscape, reducing manual masonry work while increasing the demand for specialized labor in the planning and finishing phases.
COBOD’s BOD2 and BOD3 Printers
| Printer Model | Maximum Build Volume (m x m x m) | Operating Speed (mm/s) | Assembly and Disassembly Times (hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOD2 | 10 x 15 x 45 | 100-500 mm/s (optimal 250 mm/s) | 4-6 hours |
| BOD3 | 15 x 15 x 40 | 100-500 mm/s (optimal 250 mm/s) | 3-4 hours |
Conclusion
The use of automated 3D concrete printing technology can significantly reduce housing deficits in Angola, and other countries, by increasing the efficiency and speed of construction. Power2Build’s innovative approach is a promising example of how this technology can be applied to address pressing urbanization and housing challenges.