Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA)
Abstract
As a traditional building material, clay has been used by humans for a long time. From early civilisations, to the modern dependence on new technologies, the craft of clay making is commonly linked with the use of moulds, handmade creations, ceramic extruders, etc. (Schmandt and Besserat, 1977). Clay in the form of bricks is one of the oldest building materials known (Fernandes et al, 2010). This research expands the possibilities offered by standardised bricks by testing types of clay, forms, shapes, porosity, and structural methods. The traditional way of working with clay relies on human craftsmanship and is based on the use of semi-solid clay (Fernandes et al., 2010). However, there is little research on the use of clay slurry. With the rise of 3D printing systems in recent years, research and development has been emerging on using clay as a 3D printing filament (Gürsoy, 2018). Researchers have discovered that in order for 3D-printed clay slurry to solidify quickly to support the weight of the added layers during printing, curing agents such as lime, coal ash, cement, etc. have to be added to the clay slurry. After adding these substances, clay is difficult to be reused and can have a negative effect on the environment (Chen et al., 2021). In this study, a unique method for manufacturing clay elements of intricate geometries is proposed with the help of an internal skeleton that can be continuously reused. The study introduces the process of applying clay on a special structure through spraying and showcases how this method creates various opportunities for customisation of production
