At Deltares, Coastruction's 3D-printed artificial reefs were tested to evaluate their effectiveness in wave attenuation under various conditions. This was done in close collaborating with David Lennon, our expert advisor and designer of the structures.
The primary objective of the study was to analyze the transmission characteristics of our structures compared to traditional concrete cubes typically used for coastal protection. Our innovative designs prioritize adaptability to water flow and marine life support, featuring ledges tailored for coral growth, permeability, and porosity.
Florine Speth, a former Master's student in Hydraulic Engineering at TU Delft, lead the project as part of her internship at Coastruction. Her research, titled "Physical Modeling of 3D-Printed Artificial Reefs with Complex Shapes in the Wave Flume," formed the basis of her graduation thesis. Under the mentorship of our founder, Nadia Fani, Florine monitored the test and analyzed the results.
The findings of the study demonstrated that Coastruction's technology exhibits comparable effectiveness to traditional concrete cubes in wave breaking. However, unlike conventional materials, our 3D-printed artificial reefs offer additional ecological benefits by fostering biodiversity and promoting coral growth.
This milestone achievement underscores the potential of our technology to provide sustainable solutions for coastal protection and biodiversity restoration. Coastruction remains committed to furthering research and development in this field, with a keen focus on collaboration with marine science experts to drive innovation and environmental conservation forward.
For more detailed information on the experiment results, visit the Deltares website.
