3D PRINTING AND CONVENTIONAL MASONRY IN CONSTRUCTION: SUSTAINABILITY, EFFICIENCY, AND ECONOMY

Abstract

The civil construction industry faces challenges related to the high waste of materials, significant environmental impacts, and long execution periods. In this scenario, 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, emerges as an alternative to conventional masonry, presenting important advances in sustainability, efficiency, and constructive performance. The methodology used in the composition of the work was through a qualitative approach, of exploratory research, which allowed observing the advantages of additive manufacturing, such as the expressive reduction in waste generation and in the emission of polluting gases. In the economic aspect, there is a potential reduction in total costs of nearly 54%, driven by the decrease in the required labor and human errors, ensuring satisfactory levels of structural quality and the use of recyclable materials. Despite the benefits, large-scale application is still limited by factors such as the high initial investment, lack of consolidated regulation, and absence of qualified professionals. Even so, the improvements point to 3D printing as a promising solution to solve the conflicts present in the conventional methodology. In view of this, this work aims to contrast the methods of execution of conventional buildings and 3D printing, with a view to aspects of sustainability, efficiency, and economy.