A 3D printed talus staircase

Already since 2017, Weber Beamix has specialized in the world of concrete printing. In 2019, the first commercial printing plant was opened in Eindhoven with the goal of putting 3D concrete printing further on the map. And it has succeeded quite well, given its extensive portfolio. One of the standard products is the 3D printed talus stairs. A sustainable and economical alternative to the prefab talus staircase, and also delivered at lightning speed. But much more can and is being printed in the Eindhoven factory.

Standard concrete products can be printed relatively easily, Weber Beamix proves with the printed talus staircase. "Our printed talus staircase is not only cheaper, but also 60% more sustainable than a precast talus staircase," says Pieter Bakker, 3D printing project leader at Saint-Gobain Weber Beamix. "In addition to optimizing the product talus stairs 'an sich', we also make the process much simpler with printed concrete." He refers to the simplicity of being able to design a staircase himself, without the intervention of a structural engineer or draftsman. "Via our parametric design tool (available online), even a layman can design the talus staircase and order it directly. In principle, we can then deliver this staircase to the construction site in as little as three weeks."

According to Bakker, more and more parties are seeing the benefits of printed concrete. "Rijkswaterstaat recently approved the use of the printed talus stairs in several projects. There are already several of our stairs in the municipality of Amsterdam. Just like in the municipality of Amstelveen, where we delivered four large talus stairs for the first time last year. And recently we can also count the Port of Rotterdam Authority among our customers. We are making great strides." And it's not just the talus stairs, because much more is printed at the Eindhoven print factory. "We also have a product line of multifunctional street furniture, various plaza benches that also function as skate elements," continues Bakker. "The same degree of design freedom applies to these as to the talus stairs. Within the extreme parameters, anything is possible. We print all the shapes you can draw 2D. So we can have the most ideal dimensions or convexities come out of the printer."

But there is more, much more. In 2017, together with BAM Infra and other partners, Weber Beamix had a real world first with the world's first fully 3D printed construction, a bicycle bridge in Gemert. "It kicked off a whole series of bridges in Nijmegen, Steenwijkerland and others, and last August three printed bridges were installed in the province of North Holland," says Bakker. "The bridges for North Holland all come from the same parametric model, but are different in terms of shape, span, load and dimensions. It's definitely 'the next step' in bridge construction because you don't have to re-engineer everything every time. Printed bridges are also a lot more sustainable, which is also evidenced by the LCA we commissioned together with the province."

Weber Beamix recently started printing inspection and sewer manholes. Bakker: "A printed manhole contains less material, no reinforcement, is lighter and can be adapted to the situation on site (think of the connecting pipes). Last-minute changes can be made to the design. Ordering today and printing tomorrow, so to speak, is simply possible." And for a project in Great Britain, Weber Beamix is working on a lid gap in printable concrete. "Here, too, the last-minute adjustment in dimensions is of great added value, apart from all the other advantages of print concrete and the great freedom of form of the side view." Printed concrete thus offers plenty of opportunities. Not only for standard products, but also for creations that are unthinkable or very expensive in the traditional way of pouring concrete.