Underwater Concrete 3D Printing Using Seafloor Sediment

The ocean has never been an easy place to build. Depth, pressure, and limited visibility make even routine construction and repair complex and expensive, particularly for the infrastructure hidden beneath the surface.

Rethinking Construction Beneath the Surface

At Cornell University, researchers are exploring whether these constraints could be addressed through in situ construction. Rather than adapting traditional land-based methods to underwater conditions, the team is developing a way to fabricate structures directly on the seafloor using concrete 3D printing. The approach could enable maritime infrastructure to be built where it is needed, without prefabrication on land or deployment from the surface.

If successful, the method could support a quieter and more adaptive model of maritime construction, reducing both logistical complexity and environmental disruption. “We want to be constructing without being disruptive,” said Sriramya Nair, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Cornell and leader of the project. “If you have a remotely operated underwater vehicle that shows up on site with minimal disturbance to the ocean, then there is a way to build smarter and not continue the same practices that we do on land.”