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3D Printing Stereotomy: Two Case Studies

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Shell and Spatial Structures (IWSS 2023)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering ((LNCE,volume 437))

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Abstract

Stereotomy – also known as “the art of cutting solids” – is a discipline that exploits rules of descriptive geometry to optimize the ashlars of a vaulted space, considering aesthetic, static and functional matters. Stereotomy and its innovation through the use of CNC machines have been investigated at the Polytechnic of Bari for twenty years. Even if this discipline is historically associated to the use of stone, the advent of 3D printing is stimulating research towards new possibilities and new directions.

This paper aims to present two case studies, consisting of two different prototypes of 3D printed stereotomy. The first one is a portion of a barrel vault composed of osteomorphic hollow blocks, printed using clay. The design process was inspired both by the ancient constructive system of fictile caroselli and by the shape of the Truchet’s ashlars.

The second case study deals with the construction of a real scale tripod, composed of hollow ashlars printed using PLA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Politecnico di Bari, 70126, Bari, Italy

    Ilaria Cavaliere & Angelo Vito Graziano

Authors
  1. Ilaria Cavaliere
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  2. Angelo Vito Graziano
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Angelo Vito Graziano .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Architecture, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy

    Stefano Gabriele

  2. DISEG, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy

    Amedeo Manuello Bertetto

  3. Department Structures for Engineering and Architecture, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy

    Francesco Marmo

  4. Department Civil and Computer Science Engineering, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

    Andrea Micheletti

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Cavaliere, I., Graziano, A.V. (2024). 3D Printing Stereotomy: Two Case Studies. In: Gabriele, S., Manuello Bertetto, A., Marmo, F., Micheletti, A. (eds) Shell and Spatial Structures. IWSS 2023. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, vol 437. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-44328-2_43

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-44328-2_43

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-44327-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-44328-2

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

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