Preparation of artificial reefs from natural waste materials for habitat structure of fish breeding and conservation: Experimental and simulation modelling studies

Abstract

Artificial reefs are commonly created with the goal of enhancing fish populations. Currently, the degradation of natural reefs is also causing a decrease in fish productivity. As a result, the marine department is prioritizing the creation of artificial reefs to boost the fisheries. In Palk Bay, artificial reefs that were subject to research were placed in 2019 at Adaikkathevan Seashore (Bay of Bengal), which is located in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India. Because of a wide range of possible alternative materials and their parameters, research activities involve detailed analysis of all aspects of their influence on the new material’s parameters. Durability can be considered one of the most significant parameters of building materials, having a direct impact on the lifetime of the material itself as well as the lifetime of the whole reef. Natural recycled materials used in this research work include fly ash, seashells, rice-husked ash, silica fumes, granite powder, paper pulp, and coconut fiber. The compressive strength of artificial reef concrete was evaluated on various days (7, 14, 28, 56, and 90), and the findings indicated that it surpasses the strength of conventional concrete. It was found that the compressive strength of AR2 and AR3 for 90 days of curing is 0.91% and 3.83% was almost equal to conventional concrete. The purpose of the AR initiative is to enhance the fish population through the establishment of a viable marine ecosystem, thereby ensuring a dependable means of subsistence for indigenous fisher communities. This study demonstrates that the designed artificial reef mimics natural reef properties, fostering algae growth that supports fish breeding. The numerous holes provided in the artificial reef also offer protection for fish against predators.