All across the country, infrastructure is falling apart. Roads are cracking, bridges are collapsing, and no one really has the money to fix it. But New York City has an idea! Latch onto the 3D printing craze, and print out concentrate columns to keep piers up, instead of using wood that will just rot out again. It will only save, oh, about $3 billion.
Here’s how their scheme would work. A team of workers would use a 3D scanner to take accurate reading of each piling. Then, based on the scans, they’d use a generative algorithm to create the ideal structural reinforcements for each piling. The team at D-Shape would print each column and pack it in an inflatable raft, which would be towed into the harbor and slowly deflated. That would allow a team of divers to control the placement of the reinforcements, as they sink into the harbor. All in all, the team estimates the plan could save the city $2.9 billion dollars.
This plan works best for shoring up infrastructure that already exists, but hey, there are a lot of bridges that need fixing.
