Voxelcrete - Distributed voxelized adaptive formwork

Abstract

Advances in computational form finding and simulation enable the creation of highly efficient structurally aware freeform geometries. Using significantly less material than standardized building elements there are significant challenges in their materialization. We present Voxelcrete, a discrete, voxel-based, reconfigurable slip formwork system for the creation of non-standard concrete structures. We aim to transition from highly individualized and complex formworks tailored for individual structures to simple formworks that can be reused and reconfigured to realize a variety of designs. Voxelcrete is a robotically tended formwork system in which modular formwork units are iteratively arranged for continuous casts of concrete. The system allows for the production of large scale concrete objects using reconfigurable, adaptive formwork. This paper shows the conceptualization and development of the system and expands on the existing notion of adaptive formwork