Construction 3D Printing is slowly but surely getting widespread acceptance with architects and builders. It allows them to let their imagination run wild when it comes to the shapes of a building. Dubai which is the capital of UAE has become the hub of activities when it comes to Construction 3D printers, they revealed a fully 3d printed building in 2016 and since then they have also unveiled an elaborate plan to use this technology on a gigantic scale. But Dubai is not the only place where all the good things are happening for this industry

In 2016 Dutch printing firm, MX3D announced that they would be making a steel bridge across a canal in Amsterdam. The bridge would be made by independently working robotic arms (More like the ones are shown in the TV Series Westlife). The company is planning to make the bridge on site which will make for an amazing spectacle. The latest to the list of an amazing 3d printed structure is the world's first 3D-printed pedestrian bridge urban park of Castilla-La Mancha in Alcobendas, Madrid.

The 3D Printed Bridge is designed by the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC)[image credits] in collaboration with Enrico Dini, a pioneer in giant 3D-printing techniques.

The bridge is 40 ft (12 m) and measures 5.7 ft (1.75 m) wide, is made in 8 different parts using micro-reinforced concrete and assembled together. According to the spokesperson for IAAC, the 3d printed bridge design is inspired by the works of a renowned artist Antoni Gaudi and could be possible because of 15 years of research in the field of Construction 3d printing

“The 3D printed bridge, which reflects the complexities of nature’s forms, was developed through parametric design, which allows to optimize the distribution of materials and minimize the amount of waste by recycling the raw material during manufacture. The computational design also allows maximizing the structural performance, being able to dispose of the material only where it is needed, with total freedom of forms, maintaining the porosity thanks to the application of generative algorithms and challenging the traditional techniques of construction.” Source : IAAC

The bridge is now open for the public to cross and it adds a new chapter in the story of the development of Civil engineering. So if you happen to be in Madrid there is yet another city attraction that you would not want to miss out on. Happy 3D printing !!