Diamanti is a modular 3D-printed concrete bridge made of nine prefabricated segments joined by ungrouted steel cables in a fully dismantlable, low-carbon system.
A team led by Professor Masoud Akbarzadeh from the University of Pennsylvania has unveiled Diamanti, a 3D-printed concrete bridge designed to be modular, reusable and low in embodied carbon. The structure is composed of nine prefabricated segments produced via robotic printing of a two-component cementitious mix developed by Sika.
The bridge segments are connected using eight ungrouted steel cables in a post-tensioned system, allowing the structure to be disassembled without adhesives or grout, facilitating full recyclability. “Through 3D concrete printing, post-tensioning, and geometric innovation, we’ve achieved high structural performance with minimal material,” Akbarzadeh said in an interview. The design employs polyhedral graphic statics to align form with stress paths, incorporating internal channels to route the tensioning cables.
First shown in Venice as part of the Time, Space, Existence exhibition, the design has also been scaled up (tested at spans of up to 9 m) in preparation for future installations. The project is seen as a possible model for sustainable infrastructure, combining computational geometry, modular assembly, and additive manufacturing to reduce waste and carbon in construction.