The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) outlined how advanced construction technologies—from 3D printing and mass timber to high-performance concrete—are reshaping military infrastructure during a Capitol Hill briefing this week.
The discussion covered a wide range of methods, including additive construction, high-performance cement and concrete mixes, geosynthetics, mass timber, composite materials, industrialized construction, tension fabric structures, and carbon fiber–reinforced polymers. Lawmakers heard how these innovations could make future military facilities more cost-efficient, resilient, and sustainable.
“In an increasingly complex global security environment, our commitment to innovation in military construction is not just about building structures, it’s about building the resilience and readiness our forces need to prevail,” said Dave Morrow, director of military programs for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “By working with industry to leverage these advancements, we can deliver more durable, sustainable, and cost-effective infrastructure for our military, ensuring taxpayer dollars are used efficiently, while equipping our troops with the best facilities in the world.”
3D Printing for Faster, Smarter Construction
Morrow highlighted how USACE is advancing additive construction—3D printing of buildings—through pilot projects at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida and Fort Bliss, Texas. At Fort Bliss, three new barracks were completed using 3D printing, demonstrating how the approach can be deployed both in garrison and expeditionary environments.
“Additive construction has [the] potential to reduce costs, manpower, logistics and time, while opening the door for improved and new applications, such as unconventional countermeasures,” Morrow told lawmakers.
To enable wider implementation, USACE’s Engineer Research and Development Center helped establish unified facilities criteria allowing additive construction in 80% of the United States. These standards define the technical requirements necessary to ensure code-compliant, safe, and functional military facilities, he said.
Expanding Use of Advanced Materials
Beyond 3D printing, both USACE and NAVFAC are testing new materials aimed at improving durability, sustainability, and efficiency in military construction.
In Hampton Roads, Virginia, the Navy is piloting the use of mass timber—also known as cross-laminated timber (CLT)—for a new child development center, said Keith Hamilton, NAVFAC’s chief engineer. In written testimony, he noted that the facility will feature “a hybrid mass timber exterior envelope consisting of cross-laminated walls and diaphragms.”
“DOD has expressly acknowledged the applicability of CLT with the creation of a guide specification,” Hamilton said. “As the CLT construction industry matures, CLT may prove more competitive and could be utilized more broadly in DOD construction.”
USACE is also exploring mass timber applications. “We recently designed the Army’s first barracks made primarily with mass timber structural elements and are soliciting interest in construction of a project at Mountain Home Air Force Base, calling for the incorporation of mass timber design,” Morrow said, noting that the approach could help shorten construction timelines.
At Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, NAVFAC has been testing high-performance concrete (HPC) for a new F-35 Lightning II hangar, Hamilton said. The material offers enhanced durability, strength, and resistance to extreme conditions, along with improved thermal and acoustic performance.
“HPC has been used extensively for our piers, runways and other critical infrastructure; and we are broadening its application,” Hamilton wrote in his testimony.
Hamilton added that NAVFAC continues to collaborate with USACE, industry, and academia to accelerate adoption of innovative construction methods. “NAVFAC is actively testing and employing innovative technologies, materials and methods for design and construction today, and we are leaning forward to increase collaboration with industry, academia and other government partners to identify and leverage future opportunities,” he said.
Construction 3D printing for military
Recently, Texan company collaborated with the U.S. government-backed Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to test the military applications of 3D printing at Camp Pendleton Marine base. A team of eight Marines, with little engineering experience, trained on ICON’s Vulcan 3D printer and successfully built a vehicle hide structure in 36 hours. Measuring 26 feet long, 13 feet wide, and 15 feet high, the structure was created using Lavacrete material. Following the successful test, the technology continued to be used in broader U.S. military operations.
Elsewhere in 2023, the Indian Army completed its first 3D printed dwelling unit in Ahmedabad Cantonment, designed to be disaster-resistant and compliant with Zone-3 earthquake specifications and green building standards. Built by the Military Engineering Services (MES) in aliance with Gujarat-based MiCoB Pvt Ltd, the 71-square-meter structure, including garage space, was constructed using 3D Rapid Construction Technology.
The process involved printing walls, slabs, and the foundation, reducing the construction time to 12 weeks. At the time of this announcement, it was revealed that the army was also testing 3D printed precast defenses and overhead protection structures, including in Ladakh, for potential operational deployment.
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Featured image shows a military barracks at Fort Bliss, Texas. Photo via Department of War.
