MIT engineers 3D print recycled glass to build sturdy ‘LEGO’ bricks for buildings and facades

buildings and facades made of 3D printed recycled glass bricks

MIT engineers have 3D printed recycled glass and produced robust LEGO-like bricks for buildings and facades. Described as ‘reconfigurable masonry,’ they use a custom machine from the MIT spinoff Evenline, which is capable of 3D printing molten glass. The equipment squeezes out the liquefied glass and stacks it up in multiple layers, forming the shape of a figure eight. Once it hardens, the design resembles LEGO bricks with its interlocking form.

The engineers tested their project and found that, in mechanical testing, a single 3D printed recycled glass brick can withstand pressures similar to those of a concrete block. This means that the material can be just as robust as concrete, making it ideal for construction. In fact, the engineers have already constructed a wall of interlocking glass bricks to see how they would perform in a real-life setting, with the wall built in front of the institution’s campus.

all images and video stills courtesy of MIT

MIT engineers develop ‘reconfigurable masonry’

MIT engineers have developed and tested their masonry that can be modified and is made from 3D printed recycled glass. This means that if the structure needs to be demolished or moved, the glass bricks can simply be melted again, allowing the machine from the spinoff Evenline to create a new set of 3D printed recycled glass bricks for other uses.

During testing, the engineers placed the glass bricks under a hydraulic press and applied significant force to determine the point at which the bricks start to break and show fractures. It was in this phase that they discovered the strongest 3D printed recycled glass bricks were able to handle pressures similar to those of concrete blocks.

MIT engineers have 3D printed recycled glass and produced robust LEGO-like bricks for buildings

3D printed recycled glass bricks resembling LEGO blocks

These glass bricks also feature an interlocking component attached to the bottom, allowing the bricks to connect securely with each other, resembling LEGO blocks. After these findings, the engineers are now considering whether they can make more of the interlocking parts out of 3D printed glass itself, instead of using a different material.

While they explore this idea, they believe it’s not a critical issue that will stop them from moving forward with the project. So far, the team has built a curved wall made entirely of these 3D printed recycled glass bricks. Their next steps are to attempt building larger, self-supporting structures from these materials, with the hope of introducing the glass bricks to the market for use in building facades and internal walls.

the engineers use a custom machine capable of 3D printing molten glass | photo by Ethan Townsend