In-Situ Additive Manufacturing of Capped Ceilings for Climate-Friendly Construction

SLAB NET ZERO brings together industry experts and TUM professorships from digital manufacturing, structural design, climate design, and architecture to advance CO2-neutral construction by reducing concrete use through mobile robot-assisted in-situ additive manufacturing of capped ceilings. In non-residential construction, which accounts for about 50% of new building volume in Germany, floor slabs must meet high demands due to large spans and intensive building technology, typically requiring flat concrete slabs of 25-30 cm thickness.

SLAB ZERO combines the compressive strength of mineral materials with the design flexibility of additive manufacturing to create resource-efficient, functionally integrated ceiling systems. This method features a structurally optimized vault shape to minimize concrete usage and eliminates steel reinforcement, further reducing CO2 emissions. The caps can be printed on-site without formwork, directly connecting to the room to enhance thermal mass and component activation.

The project aims to validate these innovative approaches through prototype production and testing, ultimately assessing the feasibility and resource efficiency of this new construction method.

 Collaborators

• David Richter, M. Sc. (Professorship of Digital Fabrication)
• Gido Dielemans, M. Sc.  (Professorship of Digital Fabrication)
• Frederic Chovghi, M. Sc. (Professorship of Structural Design)
• Thomas Kränkel, Dr.-Ing. (Centrum Baustoffe und Materialprüfung)
• Benedikt Grimm, M.Eng. (Centrum Baustoffe und Materialprüfung)
• Ahmad Nouman, M.Sc. (Chair of Building Technology and Climate Responsive Design)
• David Briels, M.Sc. (Chair of Building Technology and Climate Responsive Design)
• Tilmann Jarmer, Architekt M.A. (Chair of Architectural Design and Construction)
• Julian Möhring, Architekt M.A. (Chair of Architectural Design and Construction)

 Funding programme

• The research is funded by Zukunft Bau (2023-2025) 

 In cooperation with

• Abele Ingenieure GmbH
• Peri 3D Construction GmbH

Duration

• 2023-2025

 Publications