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Summary

Artificial reefs (AR) consist of ecological tools to protect or recover marine habitats. However, AR technology has not been optimized for the European framework. This common habitat requires measures to protect or recover natural resources.
The 3DPARE project will develop innovative artificial reefs for the sustainable management of the marine ecosystems of the Atlantic Area. The success of AR deployment depends on three main parameters: the location, the design and the materials. Biodiversity-oriented reefs will be shaped by large-scale 3D printing with focus on innovative designs, low-impact, resistant and bio-receptive materials and their behaviour in marine environment.
This project will assess the impact of the immersion of AR in the Atlantic coast to identify required specifications for the design and the choice of materials. The recent technology, 3D printing, brings new horizons to AR construction. Their design has a high impact on the ecological effects: affinity of marine organisms and promotion of biodiversity is increased with complex and multi-scale void systems. Optimized and ecological AR designs will be shaped through large-scale 3D printing and low-impact and bio-receptive materials. These materials will be developed from natural and renewable raw materials to stimulate the colonization. Compared to existing immersed AR of the Atlantic countries, whose design and structure are created from conventional materials of concrete and steel, the solutions proposed will be ecological, sustainable and tailored for enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services in the marine environment.

Project website: www.3dpare.eu