New optimization model aims to drastically cut construction material use

Global construction materials accounted for over 7% of total carbon emissions in 2022. A technique known as topology optimization can significantly reduce the amount of material required for structures, with potential savings of up to 90%, which could translate to substantial reductions in building-related emissions. However, the complexity of these optimized designs has largely limited their application to research, particularly in areas like 3D printing, rather than large-scale construction projects such as bridges and buildings.

Researchers at MIT have now introduced a new framework that addresses the constructability challenges of topology optimization. This approach allows users to impose constraints on algorithmically generated designs, thereby limiting their complexity and making them more practical for real-world construction. These constraints can include specifying the number of components that can connect at any given point and setting minimum sizes for structural elements.

The developed framework also builds upon prior work by enabling the design of structures utilizing multiple materials. It incorporates material properties to optimize load distribution and define connections between parts. The researchers highlight the interconnectedness of material choices, design constructability, and structural optimization, emphasizing the need to address all three simultaneously. They applied their method to design truss structures for buildings and bridges using steel, wood, and combinations of materials, demonstrating how different constraints impact associated carbon emissions.

The MIT team's goal is to bridge the gap between theoretical carbon savings achievable through topology optimization on a computer and the realistic savings that can be realized in built structures. They aim to overcome the perception that optimized designs are too difficult to fabricate using conventional methods. By incorporating constraints, their framework ensures that the resulting designs are feasible for construction, preventing situations where highly efficient designs are abandoned due to buildability issues. This work seeks to make topology optimization a more viable tool for the construction industry.