WoodSpray
Name
fernandez-fern814-march-arch-2026-thesis.pdf
Size
49.7 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
8d6f471bc294a2e3b0656697d9904ec6
Author(s)
Fernandez, Mateo
Advisor(s)
Tibbits, Skylar
Date Issued
February 2026
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
The construction industry is a major contributor to global carbon emissions, while sawmilling generates an enormous and underutilized waste stream in which 45–55% of each harvested tree becomes sawdust, chips, or bark that is typically burned, landfilled, or bound into low-value composites. WoodSpray proposes a new pathway for this overlooked material: transforming wood waste into a sprayable, biodegradable structural composite made from sawdust, lignin, and nanocellulose. Applied robotically over reusable formwork, the material offers a faster, healthier, and substantially lower-carbon alternative to petrochemical products. This thesis advances WoodSpray through three integrated areas of research. First, material formulation: refining binder ratios, particle sizes, solids content, and rheology to create consistent, high-performance sprayable pastes. Second, performance testing: evaluating mechanical behavior, including adhesion, compressive and flexural strength, toughness, moisture and UV durability, and thermal characteristics, to determine the viability of the material as a structural or enclosure system. Third, full-scale prototyping: deploying robotic spraying to fabricate architectural-scale components, documenting deposition rates, curing behavior, geometric control, and comparative cost and efficiency relative to conventional construction methods. Results show that sawmill residues can form a carbon-storing, structurally capable composite suitable for rapid robotic deposition. The research positions WoodSpray as a new class of regenerative construction material, one that upcycles waste, eliminates high-carbon manufacturing, reduces labor intensity, and enables new fabrication workflows. The project demonstrates how bio-based chemistry and automation can converge to reshape material lifecycles and establish a foundation for post-carbon building systems.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Architecture
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