In exemplary implementations of this invention, a nozzle sprays foam, layer by layer, to fabricate a fabricated object according to a CAD model, and a subtractive fabrication tool removes material from the fabricated object according to a CAD model. The fabricated object comprises a mold or an interior form. The foam may be low-density, high strength and fast-curing. The foam may be used for large-scale 3D printing. For example, the foam may be used to 3D print molds for walls of homes. The foam molds may be left in place, after casting concrete in the molds, to serve as insulation. Or for example, the foam may be used to 3D print on site an internal form for a large wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blade may then be produced on site by depositing fiberglass on the outside of the internal form.

The present disclosure relates to an exterior wall for tilt-up construction comprising: (a) a fascia wythe; (b) a structural wythe; (c) a layer of insulating material disposed between the fascia wythe and the structural wythe; and (d) a thermal break in contact with at least the structural wythe, the thermal break comprising an elongate body comprising one or more thermal insulating materials, a first surface suitable for mounting a fixture, a second surface opposite the first surface, a first contacting surface, and a second contacting surface opposite the first contacting surface, the first contacting surface and the second contacting surface extending between the first surface and the second surface. The elongate body is substantially made of a non-wood material, and the structural wythe contacts at least a portion of the second contacting surface. The present disclosure further relates to methods of constructing an exterior wall comprising a thermal break.

In exemplary implementations of this invention, a nozzle sprays foam, layer by layer, to fabricate a fabricated object according to a CAD model, and a subtractive fabrication tool removes material from the fabricated object according to a CAD model. The fabricated object comprises a mold or an interior form. The foam may be low-density, high strength and fast-curing. The foam may be used for large-scale 3D printing. For example, the foam may be used to 3D print molds for walls of homes. The foam molds may be left in place, after casting concrete in the molds, to serve as insulation. Or for example, the foam may be used to 3D print on site an internal form for a large wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blade may then be produced on site by depositing fiberglass on the outside of the internal form.

A construction block or suchlike comprises at least one part made of conglomerate material, to which an insert made of filling material is constrained, to define a connection face for connection to another structural element. The connection face has visible a first surface of the insert and at least a connected second surface of the part made of conglomerate material. On the connection face other structural element(s) are combined, along a support plane (R, R1, R2) provided in correspondence with the connection face, to be stably connected by a layer of binder material. The second surface has a seating made longitudinally and lowered with respect to the support plane (R, R1, R2), on which seating the layer of binder material is located. The seating has a determinate depth (D), with respect to the support plane (R, R1, R2) correlated to the predefined thickness of the binder material to be laid.

A composite structural building panel has a first concrete layer and a second concrete layer in spaced apart relationship with one another so as to receive an insulation layer spanning between the first concrete layer and the second concrete layer. A plurality of shear connectors are individually supported to extend through respective bores in the insulation layer between opposing first and second ends of the shear connector which are entirely embedded in the first and second concrete layers respectively. At least some of the shear connectors are oriented at an inclination to a normal axis of the insulating layer.

A plant for producing a concrete prefabricated component includes a plurality of stations, a transport system to transport the production pallet through the plant, and a 3D printing station having a layer depositing device for depositing a particulate aggregate on the production pallet and having a printing head for controlled delivery of a water-binder mixture. The plant also includes a storage device to store particulate aggregate, a conveying device to convey the particulate aggregate to the layer depositing device of the 3D printing station, a mixing device for mixing the water-binder mixture, a feed device to feed the water-binder mixture to the printing head, and an unpacking station in which a concrete prefabricated component printed in the 3D printing station on the production pallet can be unpacked from an unbound particulate aggregate.

The present invention relates to a process of fabricating a multi-layer composite structure by 3D printing, said composite structure comprises at least one cured mortar layer formed by curing of a mortar composition, and at least one polyurethane layer formed by polymerization of a first polyurethane forming composition, wherein said mortar composition and said first polyurethane forming composition are dispensed individually and simultaneously via adjacent printing nozzles. The mortar composition is optionally modified by a second polyurethane forming composition.

Improved tilt-up and precast construction panels and improved methods for creating the same address deficiencies in the current tilt-up and precast construction panels. Improved tilt-up and precast construction panels use less concrete and less steel reinforcement and weigh less than current tilt-up and precast construction panels. Additionally, improved tilt-up and precast construction panels have greater insulative properties (both heat and sound) than do current tilt-up and precast construction panels. Improved tilt-up and precast construction panels require less labor on the construction site, thereby increasing efficiency and profitability of construction crews. Additional advantages of implementations of the invention will become apparent through the following description and by practice of implementations of the invention.

The invention relates to the manufacture of a reinforced slab-shaped building element (E) having a length (L), a width (W) and a thickness, said slab-shaped building element (E) comprising an upper concrete plate anchored to a lower concrete plate with a top surface and a bottom surface, said upper concrete plate being cast from relatively higher strength concrete laid out upon said top surface, said lower concrete plate being of a less strong concrete, said lower concrete plate including a base contiguous with a plurality of raised portions integral therewith, said raised portions being spaced apart in the direction of said length (L) and said width (W), said plurality of raised portions defining between them a network of recesses, at least some of said recesses including reinforcing bars (R), said raised portions and said recesses together defining said top surface.