Selective Robotic Rammed-Earth (sRRE) is a novel Robotic fabrication method that combines robotic rammed-earth construction with principles of particle-bed additive manufacturing. The process eliminates geometric limitation of conventional formwork by allowing a robotic arm to selectively compact loose earth inside a granular bed, voxel by voxel. Each voxel corresponds to a physical compaction unit, enabling precise control over geometry, density, and fabrication sequencing.
The workflow begins with the voxelization of any freeform 3D geometry. A custom-built robotic end-effector, consisting of a pneumatic rammer and blade mold, performs selective compaction using a layered ramming strategy. This hybrid approach merges the geometric flexibility of particle-bed methods with the load-bearing performance of normed rammed earth construction.
The result is a fully binder-free, reversible, and highly material-efficient construction method aligned with regenerative principles. Large-scale demonstrators, built footprints with heights up to 120 cm, showcase SRRE’s capacity to produce geometircal complex building elements while significantly reducing material waste and human labor. SRRE expands the architectural possibilities of earthen construction by overcoming its long-standing geometric limitations and by embedding automation at the core of the process.
This project was developed at the Digital Building Fabrication Laboratory of the Institute of Structural Design (ITE), TU Braunschweig, and was showcased at the Digital Futures World Exhibition at Tongji University, Shanghai, in 2025. The work was supported by Noor Khadar in teaching, with technical assistance from Wu Hao and Wong Xiang. The exhibition was invited and organized by Prof. Philip F. Yuan. We extend our thanks to all participants of the Digital Futures Workshop for their contribution.
