Overview:
This organization is seeking a durable eco-friendly material suitable for creating underwater structures in open oceans. The material will need to support its own weight in addition to the hydrostatic and ocean current pressures it is subjected to in marine environments. The material should be resistant to erosion and enable the structures to last for at least 25 years. Most importantly, the development of the material needs to have a low carbon footprint.
The overall design of the structures the material will be used for is currently confidential – only to be released to potential solutions providers after initial vetting. Key aspects of the design include a wall thickness range between 0.1 – 0.7m, holes, and a curved shape. The material must also have sufficient availability to enable mass production of the structures.
Constraints:
Materials will:
- Be suitable for installation in seawater, 20-70m depth
- Withstand a hydrostatic pressure of up to 800 kPa (acting on all sides of the structure)
- Pressure from environmental loads up to 100 kPa
- Withstand 20 kJ point loads
- Produce minimal greenhouse gases during material creation
- Be durable – have at least a 25-year design life in a subsea environment with adverse environmental conditions
Possible Solution Areas:
- Concrete
- Composites
- Green steel
- Novel eco-materials
Related Tech Needs:
- Seeking: Wood Alternative Boards and Panels for Construction
- Seeking: Sustainable Processes & Feedstocks for Terpene Production
- Seeking: Debris Mitigation and Removal for Dams
