Danijel Rebolj

University of MariborFaculty of Civil Engineering

Construction IT Centre

Nano-to-meter-scale Building

(nanoBuilding) concepts &

requirements

Nanometer : meter = marble : Earth

Nanotechnology (NT) is the study of the control of matter on an atomic scale

NT is a prooven method for growing things - nature does it successfuly for billions of years

myosin, a bio-robot

What is nano?

Research motivation

Building industry produces lots of waste consumes lots of resources is not very effective

Adequate housing not affordable for

1.6 billion peopleNT potentials

Research goals

Considering the potentials of carbon nanomaterials nanorobotics and nanofabrication bioengineering and synthetic biology

design top-down nano-to-meter-scale building concepts

formulate requirements for the NT bottom-up research & start cooperation

Carbon nanomaterials

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) can have extraordinary characteristics 100x strength of steel electrical conductivity transparency variable colour

which can be combined and achived by design

Nanorobotics

A possible way to go: use of minuscule objects from DNA (TU München)

Bioengineering

Self-assembly through cooperation of intrinsically programmed cells

Amorphous programmingBacteria could be

programmed to buildCarbon nanotubes

nanoBuilding concept

Bionanorobots extract C from CO2 from the air build CNT in form of 3D array with

required characteristics using light

as external source of energy, and to recive instructions by interpreting

different wavelenghts

input: 3D model

Specific wavelengthsinstruct nanorobots what type of CNT to build

Light projector

ground plan 0

ground plan 0

nanorobot coating

Instruction:- build CNM slicewith high bearingstength

Instruction:- build CNM slicewith high bearingstength

Instruction:- build pipe wall CNT with lowfriction

All utilities arebuilt-in (pipes,shafts, wires,...)

Temporary supporting CNT material, which dissolves after the buildingprocess is finished

The building is risingslice by slice...

nanoBuilding concept

nanoBuilding process

1. detailed 3D solid modeling2. adding supporting structures

(preparing model for nano-production)

3. site preparation4. building & control5. dissolving of temporary

supporting structures

nanoBuilding process

1. 3D solid modeling define detailed solid geometry define parts of the model (3D

areas), with specific material properties (strength, friction, conductivity) to form utility systems (like water system, sewer system, electrical instalations, communication system etc.)

nanoBuilding process

2. adding supporting structures / volumes for all parts without vertical material connection to the ground)

nanoBuilding process

3. site preparation excavation to level 0 of the building setup building equipment – the

projector

nanoBuilding process

4. building & control planting of nanoroborts onto the

ground plan starting the projection creating carbon nano materials continuously until the top of the

building is reached

nanoBuilding requirements

Bionanorobots powered by light, able torecognize different wavelengths and

compiling them into instructionscompose CNT with required

characteristics (strength, conductivity)

using C from CO2 from the air

Conclusion

The question is not if (bio)nanotehnology can meet the defined requirements, but when.

The proof of concept exists!