With the goal of decarbonizing the field, construction company Holcim continues to explore the combination of low-carbon materials, smart design and circular construction.
Phoenix, a recently built 3D concrete printed bridge, represents an evolution in this regard as it combines these capabilities. The bridge represents an evolution of Striatus, another 3D printed concrete bridge built in 2021 by Holcim.
It is made with 10 tons of recycled materials, including recycled aggregates from the original blocks of Striatus. “We developed a proprietary concrete ink for Phoenix, with an optimized low-carbon formulation that has a 40% lower CO2 footprint compared to the original Striatus. The structure’s overall carbon footprint is 25% lower,” Holcim says.
Using Holcim’s proprietary ECOCycle® circular technology, the team developed a custom concrete ink for Phoenix, integrating recycled construction demolition materials with a 100% recycled ECOPlanet cement.
Circular construction using computational design and 3D printing allows for a reduction of up to 50% of the materials used with no compromise in performance. Circular by design, Phoenix stands solely through compression without reinforcement, with blocks that can be easily disassembled and recycled.
“I am thrilled to unveil Phoenix, a monument to sustainability and the result of a fruitful collaboration with our partners to meet a common goal: demonstrating that circular and low-carbon infrastructure is possible today. This project showcases the impact that innovation can have in Holcim’s mission to decarbonize building for a net-zero future,” EDELIO BERMEJO, Head of Global R&D, Holcim.
In addition to the core collaboration with Block Research Group at ETH Zurich, Zaha Hadid Architects Computation and Design Group and incremental3D, Phoenix was created with contributions from the following partners: AMODIS design and control; DEKRA testing, inspection and certification; Groupe Noel – metal manufacturing; and, Bürgin Creations – assembly.
The team is now exploring how the project could be scaled up to provide more generalized sustainable infrastructure solutions.
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