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Dive brief:
- London-based Balfour Beatty has signed a deal with British advanced materials engineering company Versarien to develop a range of graphene-infused, low-carbon 3D printable mortars, Versarien. announced in a press release on October 1.
- Balfour Beatty and Versarien are developing the mortars for civil construction, according to the statement.
- According to the statement, the two companies will test the use of the materials in real-world applications through Balfour Beatty’s highways business. The research team will measure the performance, durability and cost-effectiveness of the materials compared to traditional building materials.
Diving knowledge:
Project staff will formulate three types of mortar, according to the release. One will be based on local materials and two will be enhanced with Versarien’s proprietary graphene additive, Cementene.
Together, the team will also look to establish a robust UK supply chain for the material. Facets of this work include:
- Identification of local suppliers.
- Integration of the graphene mixture.
- Implementation of quality control protocols.
- Creation of distribution channels and sales frameworks for national and international markets.
Versarien has previously partnered with Balfour Beatty across British National Highways. Road Research Alliancewhich aims to advance innovative road projects in the UK construction space, and Digital paths of the futurea Cambridge University project designed to evolve the country’s road network.
“We are delighted to be working with Balfour Beatty and its highways business on this project to further develop 3D printable construction materials that enable efficient and low-carbon construction solutions,” said Stephen Hodge, CEO of Versarien, in the statement
Balfour Beatty did not respond to questions about whether it would test the materials in the US
Other researchers and companies are also paying close attention to 3D printing, such as the team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology created 3D printed glass bricks which says they have a crush strength comparable to that of concrete blocks.
In addition, Greeley, Colorado-based Alquist 3D recently created a nearly 8,000-square-foot, 20-foot-tall environment. 3D printed expansion of retail giant Walmart’s online pickup and delivery space at a store in Athens, Tennessee.
