Fabrication and construction methods for low-cost, low-carbon structural components for housing in India

Abstract

In Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs), material costs often constrain construction projects. There is research interest in reducing materials usage, and thus cost and carbon footprint, by redesigning reinforced concrete elements. Research at MIT aims to redesign reinforced concrete slabs to reduce concrete usage, specifically with the Indian construction context in mind, and some groups have arrived at an algorithm for creating optimized slab forms. In this thesis, I transition optimized forms from laboratory-level, idealized slabs which require subtractive milling digital fabrication to realistic slabs that are practical to produce on a larger scale on construction sites in India. I examine trade-offs between cost of fabrication and materials reduction achieved, while ensuring that structural integrity is maintained. Of the three formwork fabrication methods examined, bent wood provides the most promising solution because of the consistency and complex shapes that are achievable, but it has drawbacks when other dimensions of analysis are considered. I demonstrate that structural optimization of reinforced concrete can have positive, practical implications for housing in India.