Cornell research shows that underwater 3D printing can be used to build or repair ocean structures in place — DARPA-funded project aims to make underwater construction faster, cheaper, and safer

3D printing concrete structures underwater.

Researchers based at Cornell University have developed a method for the 3D printing of structures on the seafloor. Traditional methods of underwater construction and repair are slow, expensive, and can disrupt ecosystems. Using robot-based 3D printers and a specially formulated anti-washout concrete mix (using mostly seafloor sediment) represents a breakthrough in subsea construction technology.

The Cornell Chronicle blog mentions that the interdisciplinary group, led by Sriramya Nair, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering in the David A. Duffield College of Engineering, was already working with a 6,000-pound industrial robot for large-scale 3D printing of concrete structures on Terra Firma.