Enhancing construction accuracy with biocomposites through 3D scanning methodology: Case studies applying Pultrusion, 3D Printing, and Tailored Fibre Placement
Source abstract
Abstract
The building industry is increasingly adopting bio-based materials to meet the growing demand for environmentally friendly alternatives. Composites, known for their diverse properties and adaptable geometries, are gaining popularity as a versatile choice for customising materials for specific applications. This paper presents a 3D scanning methodology to enhance construction accuracy with sustainable building materials. It introduces three fabrication technologies for fibre-reinforced biocomposites and the resulting building components and structures at different scales achieved with each method. Pultrusion is employed to produce natural fibre biocomposite profiles used in an active-bending structural system. 3D Printing (3DP) is utilised to create a modular column using natural fibre-reinforced bioplastic, while Tailored Fibre Placement (TFP) is applied to fabricate biocomposite facade panels with varying geometries. The three case studies demonstrate the use of scanning technology to improve fabrication and assembly processes, with geometric accuracy evaluated through Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) during construction, allowing for a detailed comparison of the built structures with the digital models. Scanning revealed that pultrusion produced accurate components but exhibited up to 160 mm deviations in large-scale freeform assemblies. 3DP can achieve high component manufacturing accuracy with deviations below 5 mm, though modular assembly introduced accumulated errors reaching 40 mm. TFP deviations varied between -48 and 60 mm, with different shaping approaches helping to reduce errors. A comparative analysis of the three methods provides recommendations for improving fabrication and assembly processes while establishing a framework for the future integration of biocomposites as structural components in architectural systems. • Geometric accuracy evaluation of bio-based structures and components. • Case Studies of biocomposites fabricated using Pultrusion, 3DP, and TFP. • Terrestrial Laser Scanning applied to assess biocomposites' geometric accuracy. • Comparison of fabrication techniques for accuracy in architectural applications. • Provided strategies to enhance biocomposite fabrication and assembly accuracy.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Technologies · Innovations in Concrete and Construction Materials · BIM and Construction Integration
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (54)
Show source-provided references
1. Review on carbon emissions of commercial buildings10.1016/j.rser.2019.109545 ↗
2. Challenges and opportunities in the global net-zero building sector
3. Green building practices to integrate renewable energy in the construction sector: a review10.1007/s10311-023-01675-2 ↗
4. Durability and long-term performance of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites: A review10.1016/j.istruc.2024.105881 ↗
5. Introduction to Manufacturing of Natural Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composites
6. Natural Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composites (NFRP) fabricated from lignocellulosic fibres for future sustainable architectural applications, case studies: segmented-shell construction, acoustic panels, and furniture10.3390/s19030738 ↗
7. A review of the recent developments in biocomposites based on natural fibres and their application perspectives10.1016/j.compositesa.2015.06.007 ↗
8. A comprehensive review on plant-based natural fiber reinforced polymer composites: Fabrication, properties, and applications10.1002/pc.27274 ↗
9. Exploring tailored fiber placement in biocomposite modular structures
10. Towards customized textile profile preforms made from flax fibers and biobased resin for the design of biocomposite structures
11. Shape memory polymer biocomposites for thermoresponsive self-configurable sustainable architectural applications10.1016/j.coco.2024.102222 ↗
12. Livmats pavilion: design and development of a novel building system based on natural fibres coreless-wound structural components for applications in architecture
13. ITKE/ICD, Hybrid Flax Pavilion, Wangen Allgäu, 2024 | University of Stuttgart, (n.d.). 〈https://www.itke.uni-stuttgart.de/research/built-projects/hybrid-flax-pavilion/〉 (accessed January 29, 2025).
14. InterregNWE - SCB, Smart Circular Bridge for pedestrians and cyclists in a circular built environment, Interreg NWE (n.d.). 〈https://vb.nweurope.eu/projects/project-search/smart-circular-bridge-scb-for-pedestrians-and-cyclists-in-a-circular-built-environment/〉 (accessed July 20, 2024).
15. Guidelines and Solutions for Using Natural Fiber in Footbridge Construction: Addressing Challenges and Ensuring Long-Term Performance10.1016/j.rinma.2025.100656 ↗
16. M. Weil, Y. Bel-Hadj, A. Fernandes, W. Weijtjens, C. Devriendt, Experimental and operational modal analysis of a bio-composite pedestrian bridge, (2022). 〈https://opus.bibliothek.uni-augsburg.de/opus4/frontdoor/index/index/docId/102097〉 (accessed January 15, 2025).
17. A review on recent research on bio-based building materials and their applications10.1007/s40243-023-00234-7 ↗
18. R. Block, B. Kuit, T. Schröder, P. Teuffel, Bio-based construction materials for a sustainable future, in: New York, New York, USA, 2019: pp. 859–865. https://doi.org/10.2749/newyork.2019.0859.10.2749/newyork.2019.0859 ↗
19. A full computational framework for the temperature analysis of a flax-reinforced composite footbridge with field monitoring validation10.1016/j.rineng.2024.102718 ↗
20. Simulating quality assurance and efficiency analysis between construction management and engineering geodesy10.1016/j.autcon.2017.01.009 ↗
21. H. Dahy, J. Petrs, D.H. Bos, P. Baszynski, A.P.H.W. Habraken, P.M. Teuffel, BioMat Pavilion 2018: Development, Fabrication and Erection of a Double Curved Segmented Shell from Biocomposite Elements, in: Proceedings of IASS Annual Symposia, 2019. 〈https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/iass/piass/2019/00002019/00000020/art00017〉.
22. Geometric quality control for bio-based building elements: study case segmented experimental shell10.1515/jag-2020-0035 ↗
23. S.C. Joshi, 12 - The pultrusion process for polymer matrix composites, in: S.G. Advani, K.-T. Hsiao (Eds.), Manufacturing Techniques for Polymer Matrix Composites (PMCs), Woodhead Publishing, 2012: pp. 381–413. https://doi.org/10.1533/9780857096258.3.381.10.1533/9780857096258.3.381 ↗
24. Mathematical simulation of pultrusion processes: A review10.1016/j.compstruct.2017.09.093 ↗
25. FNR, Pultruded load-bearing lightweight profiles made of natural fibre composites (LeichtPRO), Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e. V. (2023). 〈https://biowerkstoffe.fnr.de/projekte/projektuebersicht/projekte-details?fkz= 22027018〉 (accessed March 25, 2024).
26. Natural fibre pultruded profiles: Illustration of optimisation processes to develop high-performance biocomposites for architectural and structural applications
27. LeichtPRO-profiles: development and validation of novel linear biocomposite structural components fabricated from pultruded natural flax fibres with plant-based resin for sustainable architectural applications10.1088/2053-1591/ad6536 ↗
28. Strategies in construction and assembly for the LightPRO Shell: An active-bending structure employing flax fibre pultruded profiles for sustainable architecture10.1016/j.istruc.2025.108296 ↗
29. Geometrical and structural design development of an active-bending structure from natural fibre pultruded profiles: the lightPRO shell10.1016/j.dibe.2024.100577 ↗
30. Additive manufacturing (3D printing): a review of materials, methods, applications and challenges10.1016/j.compositesb.2018.02.012 ↗
31. 3D printing of wood fibre biocomposites: from mechanical to actuation functionality10.1016/j.matdes.2016.02.018 ↗
32. 3D printing of polymer matrix composites: a review and prospective10.1016/j.compositesb.2016.11.034 ↗
33. Computational design, engineering and manufacturing of a material-efficient 3D printed lattice structure
34. Current status and future directions of fused filament fabrication10.1016/j.jmapro.2020.04.049 ↗
35. Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe (FNR), Design und Fabrikation von 3D-gedruckten Bauteilen aus Biokompositen / Filamenten aus Endlos- und Kurznaturfasern; Teilvorhaben 1: Projektkoordination, Festlegung der Bauteilanforderungen, Materialentwicklung und -prüfung - Akronym: 3DNaturDruck, 2024. 〈https://www.fnr.de/index.php?id= 11150&fkz= 2220NR295A〉 (accessed November 22, 2024).
36. Materials as design tool: digital fabrication strategies for sustainable architecture
37. Design for disassembly, deconstruction and resilience: a circular economy index for the built environment
38. Tailored fibre placement to minimise stress concentrations10.1016/S1359-835X(97)00022-5 ↗
39. Modeling formation and evolution of voids in unsaturated dual scale preforms in resin transfer molding processes10.1016/j.compositesa.2023.107675 ↗
40. On the resin transfer molding (RTM) infiltration of fiber-reinforced composites made by tailored fiber placement10.3390/polym14224873 ↗
41. Curved foldable tailored fiber reinforcements for moldless customized bio-composite structures. proof of concept: biomimetic nfrp stools10.3390/polym12092000 ↗
42. Flaxpack: tailored natural fiber reinforced (NFRP) compliant folding corrugation for reversibly deployable bending-active curved structures10.3390/polym16040515 ↗
43. Development of the holistic quality model and assessment – integrating the economic quality aspect and establishing an extended interrelation analysis
44. L. Balangé, L. Zhang, V. Schwieger, First Step Towards the Technical Quality Concept for Integrative Computational Design and Construction, in: A. Kopáčik, P. Kyrinovič, J. Erdélyi, R. Paar, A. Marendić (Eds.), Contributions to International Conferences on Engineering Surveying, Springer International Publishing, Cham, 2021: pp. 118–127. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51953-7_10.10.1007/978-3-030-51953-7_10 ↗
45. DIN 18203-3:2008-08, Toleranzen im Hochbau_- Teil_3: Bauteile aus Holz und Holzwerkstoffen, (2008).
46. 2018
47. Mettenleiter · 2015
48. Kerekes · 2023
49. An approach for considering the object surface properties in a TLS stochastic model10.1515/jag-2022-0032 ↗
50. Influence of surface reflectivity on reflectorless electronic distance measurement and terrestrial laser scanning
51. Trimble Inc, Datasheet Trimble X7 3D Laser Scanner, (2023). 〈https://fieldtech.trimble.com/resources/product-guides-brochures-datasheets/datasheet-trimble-x7-3d-laser-scanner〉 (accessed October 25, 2024).
52. Influence of the simplified stochastic model of TLS measurements on geometry-based deformation analysis10.1515/jag-2019-0002 ↗
53. C. Holst, L. Klingbeil, F. Esser, H. Kuhlmann, Using point cloud comparisons for revealing deformations of natural and artificial objects, in: Proceedings of INGEO 2017 – 7th International Conference on Engineering Surveying, Lisbon, Portugal, 2017.
54. BioMat Pavilion 2021: LightPRO Shell | Institute of Building Structures and Structural Design | University of Stuttgart, (n.d.). 〈https://www.itke.uni-stuttgart.de/research/built-projects/biomat-pavilion-2021/〉 (accessed January 16, 2024).