Digitally Fabricated Keyed Concrete Connections

Abstract

Most current technologies in digital fabrication with concrete (DFC) rely on controlled environmental conditions and, thus, have been used in prefabricated construction. Prefabricated reinforced concrete elements produced in factories need assembly and connection on-site. Using DFC for producing tailor-made geometries and applying surface roughness generates new possibilities for the design of connections. DFC enables (i) fabricating dry connections, for example, by using exact formworking or milling processes, and (ii) the relatively straightforward preparation of rough construction joints, for example, by using extrusion processes. In a recent study, a series of different specimens incorporating connections were tested using deformation-controlled push-off tests. This contribution presents the experimental campaign including design, preparation and test results employing keyed connections produced with the Eggshell technology, a fabrication process using 3D printed thin plastic formwork.