Traditional construction methods in the US military have long relied on concrete and steel — materials that offer durability but are increasingly more expensive and logistically challenging.
To address these issues, the military is now exploring innovative construction solutions like mass timber and 3D printing to build facilities faster and at a lower cost.
3D printing uses digital designs to create building components layer by layer, while mass timber bonds layers of wood to create strong, sustainable materials for construction.
According to Dave Morrow, director of military programs for the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), these innovative solutions will ensure American troops have “the best facilities in the world” and that taxpayer dollars are used efficiently.
“Additive construction has potential to reduce costs, manpower, logistics, and time, while opening the door for improved and new applications, such as unconventional countermeasures,” he told US lawmakers.
3D printing has already begun at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida and Fort Bliss in Texas for the construction of new barracks.
Mass Timber
Alongside 3D printing, Morrow revealed that USACE is working on several projects involving mass timber projects.
“We recently designed the Army’s first barracks made primarily with mass timber structural elements,” he stated, adding that incorporating mass timber designs can reduce overall construction timelines.
The US Navy is also testing this solution, using cross-laminated timber to construct a new child development center in Virginia.
Keith Hamilton, chief engineer for Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, explained that the new facility will feature a hybrid mass timber exterior, combining cross-laminated walls and diaphragms.
Morrow and Hamilton presented these advanced construction techniques to the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Defense earlier this week.
