Researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno are working on a project that could enable the US Army to quickly produce infrastructure – such as buildings or bridges – in forward-deployment missions without relying on traditional building materials. The approach involves 3D printing concrete structures on site – eliminating the need to ship full-scale buildings or materials into challenging environments, including conflict zones.

The current research is led by Assistant Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Floriana Petrone, and Associate Research Professor, Sherif Elfass, in collaboration with the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL). The project is supported by the US Department of Defense and is slated to run through June 2025.

This fall, the team conducted a load test on a set of about seven concrete segments held together by a post-tensioned cable running through the center of the components. This narrow section of a test ‘bridge’ successfully sustained up to 7,000 pounds of load. Sensors attached to the components collected data for subsequent analyses and numerical simulations performed by postdoctoral scholar Satish Paudel and undergraduate researcher Allen Rivas.

The next phase of the project will involve widening the test sample by adding additional components and investigating connection methods to accelerate construction. The ultimate goal is to provide the Army with a robust technical basis for printing and assembling needed structures in the field. Petrone’s team is exploring how the 3D printed components can connect without specialized equipment and still form reliable, scalable structures.

“Everything could be assembled manually on site,” Petrone said, noting that the cabling system does not require specialized equipment – making it suitable for challenging combat-zone conditions.

As envisioned, structures could be disassembled into parts and reassembled into different configurations. Identical structural components offer highly adaptable designs, and the research aims to help engineers in the field confidently connect these components into sound infrastructure. The team’s work integrates numerical modeling with 3D printing and segmental construction to optimize the design before building even begins.

“The integration of numerical modeling with 3D printing and segmental construction provides a powerful tool for predicting structural performance before construction even begins,” said Elfass. “This allows engineers to optimize the placement of segments and the design of printed components, ensuring that printed structures meet the necessary strength and durability requirements in a variety of conditions.”

Petrone and her team are applying a more rigorous, less trial-and-error approach to improve the integrity and performance of 3D printed LEGO-like concrete modules. Their experimental program, which began in early 2024, includes testing ‘bridging infrastructure’ assembled from 3-foot-long concrete modules they have printed. The bridge’s performance has been both experimentally tested and numerically simulated to validate the experiments.

While early work in 3D printed structures often relied on Edisonian methods, the University of Nevada, Reno is now developing a more systematic approach to ensure these structures perform as needed. This work is designed to further the Army’s capabilities in constructing infrastructure in remote or hostile settings – combining 3D printing, segmental construction, and advanced numerical simulation to build reliably sound, scalable structures.

In a corner of the University’s Large-Scale Structures Laboratory (LSSL), Petrone’s team has been using a mid-scale 3D printer from the US Army to produce concrete components shaped like Ls and Ts. The team continues to refine its methods, with the aim of making complex assembly processes feasible under challenging conditions and ensuring that future military operations can benefit from on-demand, robust infrastructure.