3D-printed 'ancient bridge' put to use in Tianjin

"As an emerging technology, 3D construction printing is subverting traditional construction patterns and has increasing practical application," Ma said.

According to Ma, compared with traditional construction methods the 3D construction technique can save about one-third of construction materials and two-thirds of labor thanks to a highly automated printing process.

During the process, many built-in sensors offer a 24-hour health monitoring of the bridge, which not only ensures safety but reflects intelligent integration as well, Ma said.