Abu Dhabi, UAE, March 01 2023: As part of its ongoing efforts to provide students with unique learning opportunities, Abu Dhabi University’s (ADU), College of Engineering (CoE), has inaugurated a 3D Concrete Printing Research Lab in its Abu Dhabi campus. The Lab features advanced 3D printing technologies that will contribute to the prototyping of concrete structures. The technology enables the creation of intricate shapes and designs that would be difficult to achieve using traditional construction methods.

 

ADU’s senior management team attended the inauguration, including Professor Ghassan Aouad, Chancellor, Dr. Hamad Odhabi, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Thomas Glas-Hochstettler, Provost,  Prof. Philip Hamill, Associate Provost for Research, Dr. Hamdi Sheibani, Dean of the College of Engineering,  Dr. Samer Al Martini and Dr. Reem Sabouni, the lead researchers and associate professors in the Department of Civil Engineering, the research assistants, and ADU undergraduate students participating in the research. 

 

The Lab provides faculty and students with state-of-the-art 3D printing equipment, including the 3D Concrete Gantry Lab printer. The printer, first of its type in a university lab in the UAE, can produce various lab scale concrete structural elements (e.g., columns, beams, walls) in different shapes and sizes. 

Through similar innovative learning opportunities, ADU aims to foster innovation and creativity in the fields of 3D concrete printing and sustainability among its students. The Lab will also contribute to ADU’s environmental sustainability efforts by reducing waste and material usage, promoting energy efficiency, and encouraging innovative designs among faculty and students. It will also help provide more inclusive environment for females to participate in a male-dominated industry as 3D Concrete printing is a less labor-intensive construction technique relying more on technology. 

 

Professor Ghassan Aouad, Chancellor of Abu Dhabi University (ADU), said: “The 3D Concrete Printing Lab represents a significant step forward in the field of construction technology. With this facility, we seek to provide our students and faculty with the tools and resources to explore new ideas and push the boundaries of what is possible in this field. At ADU, we maximize our innovation efforts to provide students, faculty and the wider UAE community with sustainable and inclusive solutions to industry-focused challenges. Additionally, we aim to provide a well-rounded educational experience and the latest innovative technologies to develop our student’s futuristic skillset and prepare a generation of researchers and innovators.”

 

The Lab is the fruit of ADU’s recent win in the prestigious ASPIRE grant awarded by the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC) in the UAE. The research team led by Dr. Samer Al Martini, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at ADU and Dr. Reem Sabouni, Associate Professor, received a grant to study the application of 3D concrete technology for the UAE construction industry to help in promote sustainability in the UAE’s construction sectors. 

 

3D printing technology enables creative and unique building designs. In addition, it promotes sustainable construction practices by enabling precise measurements and minimum waste of raw materials during the construction process and reducing energy consumption compared to traditional construction methods due to the decreased need for transportation of raw materials and construction time.