TOWARDS 3D PRINTED EARTH- AND BIO-BASED INSULATION MATERIALS: A CASE STUDY ON LIGHT STRAW CLAY

With a growing interest in sustainable construction practices and recent advances in the field of digital fabrication, 3D-printed earth has gained significant interest. However, research in 3D printed earth remains limited to cob, thus resulting in low thermal conductivity. Maximizing fiber content can provide greater thermal resistivity, while increasing carbon storage. This paper presents the development of 3D printed earth-fiber composite with fiber content ranging from commonplace cob (2% fiber) to newly developed printed light straw clay (64% fiber). This work contributes to critically needed advancements and framework for the development of low-carbon and high-performance materials for digital fabrication.