The Texas Military Department partnered with a construction technologies company, ICON, to design and 3D-print an innovative training barracks at the Camp Swift Training Center in Bastrop, TX. As the largest 3D printed structure in North America, the more than 3,800 sq. ft. building is set to house up to 72 soldiers or airmen at their primary training facility while they train for missions in Texas or overseas.
“Guardsmen from all over Texas come to Camp Swift to train and to mobilize for deployments,” said Col. Zebadiah Miller, Director of Facilities, Texas Military Department “The printed barracks will not only provide our Soldiers a safe and comfortable place to stay while they train, but because they are printed in concrete, we anticipate them to last for decades.”
This project is a result from a Small Business Innovation Research Strategic Fund Increase contract through AFVentures to which TMD contributed funds. TMD and AFWERX, the U.S. Air Force in-house innovation incubator, sought to create barracks of the future by using construction-scale 3D printing technology.
The 3D-printed barracks, designed by Logan Architecture, uses ICON’s Vulcan construction system and proprietary material to deliver sustainable and resilient buildings that last longer than traditional buildings.
This innovative technology intends to deliver military barracks at an increased speed compared to traditional construction and will replace temporary barracks that are beyond their intended lifespan with more efficient permanent structures. The 3D printing process is being evaluated for suitability as an expeditionary solution to enable printing of facilities in forward deployed locations, potentially reducing time, cost and construction risks.
“Texas has become a technological center of gravity within the nation,” said Maj. Gen. Tracy Norris, Adjutant General of Texas “TMD is proud to be a conduit for introducing these innovative solutions into the military community.”
To commemorate the unveiling of the first-ever 3D-printed Barracks, The Texas Military Department held a ribbon cutting ceremony on August 16, 2021 with a host of government officials and members of the Texas Military Department. Soldiers in training will begin to inhabit the new 3D-printed Barracks beginning fall 2021.
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