Considerations on the programmed functional life (one generation) of a green artificial reef in terms of the sustainability of the modified ecosystem

• Published in: Heliyon Vol. 9; no. 4; p. e14978
• Main Authors: Carral, Luis, Tarrío-Saavedra, Javier, Cartelle Barros, Juan José, Fabal, Carolina Camba, Ramil, Alberto, Álvarez-Feal, Carlos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2023; Elsevier
• Subjects: Artificial reef; Design for limited functional life; Linear regression model; Reversible process concept; Sustainability ecosystem; Design for limited functional life; Reversible process concept; Sustainability ecosystem; Artificial reef; Linear regression model
• ISSN: 2405-8440; 2405-8440
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14978

The installation of artificial reefs serves to enhance marine ecosystems, although it also modifies them. These changes do not have to be irreversible, since it is possible to treat the functional life of an artificial reef (AR) as a variable factor to be determined, with the objective of contributing to the sustainability of the ecosystem. The quest for sustainability does not end with the manufacture and installation of the AR units. It is also necessary to analyse the sustainability of the modified ecosystem, through the production of services. This leads to consider the medium-term return of the ecosystem to its initial state, once the functional life of the ARs expires. This paper presents and justifies an AR design/composition for limited functional life. It is the result of acting on the base material, the concrete, with the objective of limiting the useful life to one social generation. Four different dosages were proposed for such a purpose. They were subjected to mechanical tests (compressive strength and absorption after immersion), including an innovative abrasion-resistant one. The results allow estimating the functional life of the four types of concrete from the design variables (density, compactness, and quantity of water and cement as well as its relation). To this end linear regression models and clustering techniques were applied. The described procedure leads to an AR design for limited functional life. [Display omitted] •Changes to the marine ecosystem caused by artificial reefs should be reversible.•It is possible to treat the functional life of an artificial reef as a variable.•An AR composition for limited functional life to one social generation is presented.•The functional life of four concrete types is estimated from the design variables.