La Technological University of Eindhoven is one of those institutions that is betting the most on investigating new ways of using 3D printing. Thanks to this, today we know that they have recently been working together with the company Witteveen + Bos, in charge of the design of a 8 meter bridge, and built by one of their 3D printers.
Without a doubt, I cannot think of a better place to build a bridge made entirely by 3D printing than the Netherlands, a European area characterized by having a quarter of its territory below sea level, which in turn explains the enormous presence in the area of a large number of lakes, canals and bridges of all kinds and architecture.
The Eindhoven University of Technology will be in charge of manufacturing a concrete bicycle bridge using 3D printing
Among the most characteristic elements of the bridge, it should be noted that it has been reinforced with concrete to allow bicycles to cross the Peelsche Loop, one of the most important canals in the city of Gemert, which in turn implies that it has very specific dimensions, specifically 8 meters long and 3,5 meters wide.
As commented Theo Salet, Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology who is in charge of the project:
We did a lot of testing to see how the material reacted and it performed really well. What is interesting with 3D printing is that we need less concrete, we only have to use what we really need. In addition, it must be added that less CO2 particles are emitted during its manufacture.