Super Composite: Carbon Fibre Infused 3D Printed Tectonics

Abstract

This research posits an innovative process of embedding carbon fibre as the primary structure within large-scale polymer 3D printed intricate architectural forms. The design and technical implications of this research are explored and demonstrated through two proto-architectural projects, Cloud Affects and Unclear Cloud, developed by the RMIT Architecture Snooks Research Lab. These projects are designed through a tectonic approach that we describe as a super composite -- an approach that creates a compression of tectonics through algorithmic self-organisation and advanced manufacturing. Framed within a critical view of the lineage of polymer 3D printing and high tech fibres in the field of architectural design, the research outlines the limitations of existing robotic processes employed in contemporary carbon fibre fabrication. In response, the paper proposes an approach we describe as Infused Fibre Reinforced Plastic (IFRP) as a novel fabrication method for intricate geometries. This method involves 3D printing of sacrificial formwork conduits within the skin of complex architectural forms that are infused with continuous carbon fibre structural elements. Through detailed observation and critical review of Cloud Affects and Unclear Cloud (Fig. 2), the paper assesses innovations and challenges of this research in areas including printing, detailing, structural analysis and FEA modelling. The paper notes how these techniques have been refined through the iterative design of the two projects, including the development of fibre distribution mapping to optimise the structural performance.