Blue planet: Hybrid solutions for underwater structures with seashell concrete and biorock technology
Publicerad
Författare
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Master's Thesis
Master's Thesis
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
Global sea levels are predicted to rise by up to 2 meters
by 2100 due to the high rates of carbon emissions,
which lead to frequent flooding, eventually making
coastal cities uninhabitable (NOAA, 2022).
This thesis explores how seashell waste, in combination
with the process of biorock technology (mineral
accretion), can be turned into a hybrid material system
Furthermore, it investigates how this hybrid material be
utilized for load-bearing underwater structures.
Seashell concrete, derived from recycled seashell waste,
is ground and calcined to replace traditional aggregates
and Portland cement , reducing carbon emissions
by 50% compared to traditional concrete(Crook,
L., 2024). Biorock technology - a process of mineral
accretion, meanwhile, uses seawater electrolysis to
grow limestone, creating a material around three times
stronger than traditional concrete while promoting coral
reef restoration (Goreau, T.J., 2012).
The material experiments test the properties of
each material and the potential of hybrid material
compositions. While seashell concrete alone lacks
the compressive strength of traditional concrete,
reinforcing it with biorock technology compensates for
this weakness, potentially meeting the load-bearing
requirement for underwater construction.
The design proposal transforms the Montipora coral’s
layered and radial form into a modular underwater
experimental building prototype at Dhangethi Jetty,
Maldives. Computation tools shaped the geometry
and created the structure, which has helped explore
coral-like forms and simulate how limestone grows
through mineral accretion. This coral-inspired structure,
combined with biorock technology, creates a habitat
for coral polyps and transforms the building itself into a
living reef.
By merging this hybrid material innovation with coral
reef restoration, the project offers a blueprint for future
coastal cities. It demonstrates how architecture can
adapt to sea level rise, reduce reliance on carbonintensive
concrete, and actively rebuild ecosystems -
proving that human habitats can work with and even
foster marine life.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
Seashell concrete, biorock technology, hybrid material, coral restoration, underwater architecture, sea-level rise