Life Cycle Assessment of Digitally Manufactured 3D Printed Shape-Optimised Concrete Shell floors

Shape-optimised concrete shell floors can reduce material use by up to 50% compared to conventional slab floors, highlighting the need for wider adoption in response to the climate emergency. Robotic concrete 3D printing can realise these optimised shapes through its ability to produce complex geometries. Although material volume can be significantly reduced, 3D printing requires different materials and machinery and may lead to variations in performance and durability. Therefore, quantifying the environmental impact across the life cycle of concrete shell floors and assessing technical feasibility for different uses are critical for informed decision-making on robotic concrete 3D printing. This study evaluates the carbon footprint of robotic concrete 3D printing of shape optimised shell floors for different design scenarios by analysing each life cycle stage: raw material use, construction, maintenance and repairs, and end-of-life scenarios.

Potential optimised geometries suitable for robotic concrete 3D printing will be developed for several scenarios to achieve the same functional performance as a traditional concrete design. Carbon emissions from both material use and the construction process will be estimated using experimental data and by analysing how much energy the robotic systems consume during fabrication. Maintenance requirements will be investigated through durability tests on 3D-printed specimens, while the potential for end-of-life reusability will be examined by evaluating alternative scenarios. The study will assess the environmental impact of robotic 3D printing in construction to determine when it is technically achievable and environmentally beneficial for different design types, while identifying where further research is needed to enable wider adoption.