ETH Zurich researchers in Switzerland are using geometry to design concrete forms that cut pollution from builds with haste, according to a university news release.
What's more, builders won't need a lot in the toolbox to get started.
"The only things needed in addition to the materials are a template for the shape and a stapler," doctoral student and developer Lotte Scheder-Bieschin said.
By using a reusable and lightweight setup, the team has created a formwork for vaulted floor slabs that uses around 60% less concrete and 90% less steel than traditional methods, reducing air pollution and waste. Further, it's easy to fabricate, transport, and use, making it accessible to nearly any builder.
"I was looking for a solution that uses strength through geometry, not just for the final structure but also for the formwork itself," Scheder-Bieschin added.
A key win is that the setup, aptly called Unfold Form, requires zero embedded steel for support, lightening the product even more.
Concrete is the most-used building material in the world, according to Chemistry World, generating 8% of global heat-trapping air pollution, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry and Princeton.
The fumes are contributing to greater risks for extreme heat waves — some places may become unlivable as temperatures continue to set sweltering records, per NASA. It's a problem that one study found could even impact farm production and our food supply.
Widely adopted cleaner construction techniques would be a boon for efforts to slow the warming. Another solution is being developed at the University of Manchester in England. Experts are adding graphene to concrete to strengthen the mix, reducing the amount of cement needed. The result is less production-related pollution.
At ETH, the forms are made with "flexible plywood strips that are connected by textile hinges. They can be unfolded like a fan." Four compact units can be quickly put together inside a wooden frame to make a mould. Concrete is poured into it. The whole form weighs about 53 pounds, but it can support just over a ton of concrete.
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Never 👎 After the mix cures, the setup can be removed and folded for storage. The prototype cost about $800 to make, per the ETH description.
The foldable, reusable formwork has a zigzag pattern. It looks a little like a piece of art, judging from photos shared by Designboom.
It's a nature-inspired design that adds strength without weight. Scheder-Bieschin cited seashells as a natural example. The concept for human use has surpassed paper models and real-life tests in Africa, where there are plans to build homes using the method, according to the release.
"The … formwork can be produced and assembled without specialized knowledge or high-tech equipment," Scheder-Bieschin said in the release. The expert added that it is important that practically anyone in any region can build the forms.
Ultimately, Scheder-Bieschin said she'd like to see people empowered to help themselves with the tech. University spinoff company Vaulted is also commercializing it, according to ETH.
"We are planning training programs for the locals so they can build the formwork and the buildings on their own," she said in the ETH release about the work in Africa.
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