The modular barriers were built by Habib Dagher, executive director of the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center, and his team. Because they are modular, they can be used to create a 75-foot barrier.
“[These building techniques] are key to achieving a cost-effective, resilient transportation system of the future,” Dagher tells 3D Printing Industry. “We can’t keep building it the same way and expect a different result. As we rebuild our roads and bridges, we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to use more durable, more sustainable advanced materials including composite materials.”
The source of the barriers’ biobased content was not disclosed, although previous work by the prestigious group include 3D printing a marine vessel that is up to 50% cellulose fiber.