26th February 2020
The 3D printing of the artificial reefs is completed
Last Monday 17 February one of the most relevant milestones of the 3DPARE project was achieved, the finalization of the last of the artificial concrete reefs produced with a 3D printer in the labs of the Civil Engineering School of the University of Cantabria.
The production of the reefs has posed a great challenge since they are almost one-meter pieces with a weight close to one ton. From the total 36 pieces, only 9 have stayed in Santander, the other 27 being sent to other three partner centers in the project: Ecole Supérieure d'Ingénieurs des Travaux de la Construction de Caen, Universidade do Porto and Bournemouth University.
In a next stage, the 36 structures will be simultaneously placed at the sea bottom in Caen (France), Porto (Portugal), Bournemouth (United Kingdom) and Santander for their subsequent monitoring by marine biologists who will dive periodically to assess the bio-receptivity of the new reefs.
