3D printed bridges are one of the applications that have highlighted the variety of AM technologies that can be used in large-scale manufacturing. The latest bridge that has been recreated using 3D printing drew our attention today as it combines 3D printing and waste materials from stone processing. It is the Da Vinci’s bridge.
Recreated in Italy, the project has been achieved by a multidisciplinary collaboration between the ArCoD department of the Polytechnic University of Bari as well as B&Y and 3D printer manufacturer WASP.
The Da Vinci’s Bridge is based on a project by Professor Giuseppe Fallacara and is inspired by Leonardo’s design for a self-supporting bridge that would connect the Pera district (present-day Galata in Beyoğlu) with Constantinople (today’s Istanbul), spanning the Golden Horn. The prototype created, conceived as a pedestrian bridge, has a span of approximately six meters and reinterprets Leonardo’s vision to adapt it to the needs of the experiment.
B&Y brought its expertise in reusing waste materials in the construction and design sectors. The company developed a low-environmental-impact mortar made from waste stone powders and a lime-based binder. The material was thereafter 3D printed in 13 blocks with variable layers by one of WASP’s large format 3D printers.
The WASP 3MT LDM Concrete 3D printer was chosen for its ability to process cementitious materials. The blocks were then assembled by the University of Bari using a system of temporary centering. Thanks to the principle of stereotomy, utilized by Leonardo in its original project, the bridge is able to self-support.
The Da Vinci’s Bridge represents an important starting point for further developments: the next steps include the evaluation of the mechanical properties of the materials used and the refinement of the printing process. These results could pave the way for new applications in the architectural sector, promoting a more sustainable and technologically advanced vision, a press release reads.
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