Geo-FOAM: Geo-ceramic Forms Optimized with Additive Manufacturing

Geo-FOAM is a ceramic-based building block with upcycled mine tailing soils and high heat resistance properties due to the foaming production technique. The unit is comparable to the typical concrete masonry block or other insulated-concrete-forms (ICFs) in size and configuration but with energy conserving qualities due to the high R-value and the topological surface design for self-shading based on solar angles. The research for this project incorporates standardized manufacturing parameters for development of printing techniques of the geo-foam materials for site-specific customization on heat transfer properties.