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Video by Justin Campfield

ERDC scientists pioneer 3-D ice printing

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center

Nov. 15, 2024 | 1:07

Research scientists at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) have successfully demonstrated a novel method of 3-D printing with ice reinforced with natural fibers. Led by teams from two ERDC labs – the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory’s (CRREL) advance materials and the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory’s (CERL) additive construction team – the project’s goal was to develop novel methods for construction of military installations in remote cold regions, where conventional construction methods can be difficult or impossible. “We sought to utilize ice and snow as abundant natural resources in these regions that can be leveraged for construction of expeditionary structures, those that are temporary,” said Kiera Thompson Towell, a CRREL research materials engineer. “Developing a method for 3D printing using ice and snow would allow for automated construction of various customizable structures depending on location and need, while reducing the amount of construction materials that would need to be transported to these regions.” Such a capability also reduces cold exposure and the potential for cold injury to Soldiers and staff, while providing a structure with very little environmental impact and tear-down time. The team’s next steps are scaling the work up with a larger printing system to further test the properties and capabilities of the 3-D printed material within the CRREL Cold Room facilities.