Coral Reefs Inspired Cement Manufacturing

[ReefRangers]

I'm studying to be a manufacturing technologist and came across this video of how corals have inspired engineers to create new and innovative green manufacturing processes for cement. Biomimicry is nothing new, but it is great to see nature is still providing inspiration.

http://youtu.be/fa96YaJCTVc

 

[markaren]

I would like to see the product.

 

[nine8taco]

very interesting! thanks for the link

 

[johandagentile]

wow. corals do more than just look good in my tank? j/k good post I love how creation just keeps on giving.

 

[rwb500]

the bad part of cement production is the conversion of calcium carbonate to quicklime. The production of calcium carbonate itself it quite simple (limestone mining). so i dont see what this has to with corals. the video says literally nothing about what they actually "discovered."

edit - not mad at the OP, thanks for posting. interesting.

 

[Cerastes]

Seems like the least we could do , given how much coral reef is crushed up to make cement in places where it's the only source of limestone.

 

[TheAquatect]

Seems like the least we could do , given how much coral reef is crushed up to make cement in places where it's the only source of limestone.

I've never heard of someone mining a living reef. Where does this happen?

 

[Cerastes]

My wording was perhaps a bit imprecise. "Live rock" would have been more accurate than "coral reef", but it happens on practically every island which has a reef and uses cement.

 

[devonian]

FYI
According at least to Charlie Veron - the manufacture of cement is also a leading source of atmospheric carbon. Per Wikipedia;
"Cement manufacturing releases CO2 in the atmosphere both directly when calcium carbonate is heated, producing lime and carbon dioxide,[28] and also indirectly through the use of energy if its production involves the emission of CO2. The cement industry produces about 5% of global man-made CO2 emissions, of which 50% is from the chemical process, and 40% from burning fuel.[29] The amount of CO2 emitted by the cement industry is nearly 900 kg of CO2 for every 1000 kg of cement produced."

 

[fish042099]

in nj, prisoners make the concrete reef balls

 

[fish042099]

http://www.artificialreefs.org/Articles/Wave of future habitats.htm look at the 2nd to last sentence on the 2nd to last paragraph from the bottom and see for yourself