A 3D-printed bridge that can retract has been completed and unveiled in Shanghai, marking the first of its kind.
This bridge, constructed using 3D printing technology and featuring the ability to retract, was recently inaugurated at the Zhihui Bay Innovation Park in the Baoshan District of Shanghai, China. The successful fabrication of this bridge is considered a significant advancement in 3D printing technology for retractable structures.
With 9 short spans, the bridge measures a total length of 9.34 meters, a width of 1.5 meters, and a height of 1.1 meters, weighing approximately 850 kg. It is designed to span a small pond and is said to accommodate up to 20 people at once.
Essentially, it consists of 36 triangular panels and 17 quadrilateral panels, all 3D printed in just three days. The material used is a carbonated synthetic polyester, which is claimed to be environmentally friendly. When retracted, it resembles a shrimp curling up into a horizontal cylindrical shape. The entire process of the bridge sliding out takes only 1 minute and is operated remotely via Bluetooth technology. It is also equipped with a gravity-sensitive automatic warning system to prevent overload.
Retractable 3D-printed bridge in China
The Zhihui Bay Innovation Park, where the bridge is located, is also home to over 300 global companies in the fields of 3D printing, smart micro-manufacturing, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), and various robotics projects. This site is also believed to house the world’s only 3D printing museum.
In 2019, a 26.3-meter long and 3.6-meter wide concrete 3D-printed bridge was installed in the park. It was hailed as the largest in the world at that time, created by Tsinghua University in 450 hours.
Earlier this year, another project by Tsinghua University successfully constructed a 3D-printed concrete bookstore in the park. The bookstore was 3D printed on-site over three weeks using “fiber concrete,” a material technology capable of withstanding compressive forces and earthquakes, covering a floor area of 30 square meters.
