An Investigation into the Application of 3-D Printing to Construction Projects in Ningbo, China
Byung Gyoo Kang1, Yazhong Zhang2, Ruoyu Jin3, Craig Matthew Hancock4, Bo Li5, Llewellyn Tang6
1Byung Gyoo Kang, Department of Civil Engineering, China.
2Yazhong Zhang, Department of Civil Engineering, China.
3Ruoyu Jin, School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, Cockcroft Building, Room 616, Lewes Road, Brighton, BN2 4GJ, UK.
4Craig Matthew Hancock, Department of Civil Engineering, China.
5Bo Li, Department of Civil Engineering, China.
6Llewellyn Tang, Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Taikang East Road, Ningbo, China.
Manuscript received on 13 December 2018 | Revised Manuscript received on 25 December 2018 | Manuscript Published on 24 January 2019 | PP: 93-95 | Volume-7 Issue-4S2 December 2018 | Retrieval Number: ES2092017519/19©BEIESP
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: 3-D printing brings huge potentials to construction projects such as time, cost, quality and safety. Objectives of construction projects can be enhanced and achieved with superior performances. This research has investigated the perceptions of construction engineers towards the benefits and obstacles of 3 –D printing in construction projects. The questionnaire survey was conducted in Ningbo, China. The survey participants include building engineers, architects, civil engineers, project managers, MEP engineers and consulting engineers. A total of 100 replies were received. The respondents show very positive perceptions towards the benefits of 3-D printing. ‘Reduced material wastage’, ‘reduced equipment usage’ and ‘improved safety in construction site’ are the top three benefits. The obstacles are related to technical competence, materials and size/cost of 3-D printer. Outcomes of the survey are discussed in detail with future researches, especially the integration between 3-D printing and Building Information Modelling (BIM).
Keywords: 3-D Printing, Construction, Benefits, Obstacles.
Scope of the Article: Construction Engineering