Research & Monitoring

Reef modules installed at Studstrup are being monitored to understand how marine organisms colonise 3D-printed habitat structures over time.

Repeated underwater surveys allow us to follow ecological development after installation and generate real-world knowledge that feeds directly into future Stonereefs designs.

Together with the Danish Technological Institute and the University of Copenhagen, StoneReefs is developing low-carbon, bio-receptive materials for 3D-printed reef structures. The project explores how material composition, surface pH and naturally occurring marine microorganisms influence biofilm formation and the early colonisation of reef surfaces.

The research combines material science, advanced 3D printing and marine microbiology. Initial work has resulted in a printable concrete mix with significantly reduced Portland cement content and a substantially lower carbon footprint, while laboratory studies are building new knowledge about the relationship between material chemistry and biological colonisation.

This project develops and tests the next generation of StoneReefs' REEFlex system, combining low-carbon materials, parametric habitat design and modular 3D printing. Different materials and surface geometries will be evaluated for their ability to support marine colonisation while remaining suitable for scalable production and installation.

The resulting reef systems will be deployed at Kerteminde Harbour and monitored for 12 months to study how material, geometry and water depth influence ecological performance. The project will take the technology from laboratory validation to a full-scale prototype demonstrated in a real marine environment.

As part of a large-scale research project led by the Danish Technological Institute, StoneReefs is developing and 3D printing experimental reef structures that combine alternative low-carbon materials with complex habitat geometries. The designs use cavities, surface complexity and tailored geometries to create shelter and habitat, with particular focus on supporting juvenile fish and biodiversity along hard coastal infrastructure.

The structures are deployed at a dedicated marine exposure site in Aarhus Harbour, where new materials and designs are tested under real coastal conditions. The project generates knowledge about both material durability and biodiversity performance, helping develop the next generation of nature-inclusive marine infrastructure.

As part of his PhD research at DTU Sustain in collaboration with Sund & Bælt, Joseph Parkinson is investigating how nature-inclusive design and artificial reef structures can help reduce the negative ecological impacts associated with marine infrastructure.

The research uses several StoneReefs installations as real-world study sites, including Sprogø, Studstrup, Korsør Harbour and Paper Island. By monitoring how marine life interacts with different reef designs and infrastructure environments over time, the research aims to build a stronger scientific understanding of how artificial structures can be designed to support marine biodiversity. Research at Korsør, for example, includes four different reef zones and long-term monitoring using eDNA, video and photography.

The findings will contribute to the development of future nature-inclusive marine infrastructure and help establish how biodiversity considerations can become an integrated part of the way we design, build and retrofit structures in the marine environment.