Environmental protection facilities
Due to the increase in the average temperature of water in the ocean, coral reefs are constantly dying, which leads to an increase in the number of storms and hurricanes, and small underwater inhabitants are left without shelter.
Rebuilding the coastal zone after destruction
is more difficult and expensive than restoring the coral population. In the United States, there is a program to restore the ocean shoreline and protect corals by printing structures that increase reef populations.
To solve this problem, the technology of 3D printing artificial coral reefs was used
The structures are lowered to the ocean floor, after which corals are placed in the holes. They grow around the printed elements, thus increasing their population.
These structures, together with corals, perform another function
they cut waves like breakwaters and reduce the load on the shore.