Littlehampton Harbour Board is delighted to announce that we are collaborating with Alex, a PhD student from the University of Surrey, on an ambitious project to develop an eco-friendly concrete mix designed for use in marine environments.
With coastal infrastructure, such as shore protection structures and offshore wind farms there is an opportunity to develop concrete which is more friendly to marine animals and plants. For example, offshore wind farms, are effectively no-fishing zones and can function as marine protected areas. By designing concrete that is more like a natural rocky habitat, we can encourage more marine plants to grow and in turn attract a greater diversity of marine animals. Over time, the increased abundance of fish and other commercially important species can “spill over” into surrounding fishing grounds, benefitting fishermen, improving fish stocks, and potentially the local economy
To test this, tiles made from two concrete mixes, one traditional and one eco-friendly have been installed on a structure at the harbour entrance. These tiles are monitored monthly to assess how much seaweed, barnacles, mussels, and other marine life colonise each surface. Samples are also collected to analyse the bacteria present, giving valuable insight into how microbial communities develop and whether they differ between the two concrete types.
The project will run for 18 months, providing a detailed understanding of how the marine plants and animals develop on the tiles and any changes between seasons on the different tile mixes.
