University of Miami researchers and collaborators have expanded an offshore reef restoration and coastal resilience project off Miami Beach with the deployment of three 3D-printed SEAHIVE clustered structures.
Coinciding with National Ocean Month, the second phase of the Engineering Coastal Resilience Through Hybrid Reef Restoration (ECoREEF) project advances an offshore living laboratory designed to study how engineered reef structures can be combined with active restoration of stony corals to produce self-building and self-repairing hybrid reefs that dissipate wave energy, reduce coastal flooding, and create new marine habitat.
Initiated by a seed grant from the University of Miami Laboratory for Integrative Knowledge (U-LINK), ECoREEF represents nearly a decade of interdisciplinary collaboration among engineers, marine scientists, and coral restoration practitioners. Unlike traditional artificial reefs, ECoREEFs are deployed in shallow water near vulnerable shorelines and include stony corals that have been specifically produced to thrive in these tough, wave-impacted environments.
Researchers from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science and collaborators have used a variety of approaches to solve the challenge of producing stress-resistant corals, including using baby corals provided with special heat-tolerant symbionts, unusual corals that are hybrids of staghorn and elkhorn coral that do well in these difficult conditions, and resilient corals rescued from seawalls and other nearby construction projects.
"The ECoREEF structures are a great opportunity to develop and test new approaches to producing the kinds of hardy corals we need to restore reefs in the 21st century," said Andrew Baker, professor in the Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, a Kyle Family Chair in Marine Conservation, and director of the Coral Reef Futures Lab at the Rosenstiel School. "At the same time, they also give corals a head start building offshore structures to protect our coastlines – a real win-win for the marine environment and for our coastal defenses."
Before the first offshore deployment in 2023, researchers conducted extensive experiments in the Rosenstiel School's SUrge–STructure–Atmosphere INteraction (SUSTAIN) Laboratory to optimize performance under varying wind, wave, and water conditions. More recent testing, the findings of which have been published in the Coastal Engineering Journal, found that the SEAHIVE system's porous, modular design improved wave attenuation compared with solid structures of similar size, with larger configurations further reducing wave transmission.
"Every aspect of the structure's physics was informed by engineering analysis and physical testing," said Landolf Rhode-Barbarigos, associate professor at the University of Miami College of Engineering, and the associate director of the University of Miami Climate Resilience Institute. "The goal is not only to create habitat for corals and marine life, but also to understand how hybrid reef systems can advance solutions to reduce wave energy and protect vulnerable coastlines."
Testing at the SUSTAIN lab in 2021 found that adding staghorn corals to SEAHIVE structures enhanced wave dissipation compared with the structures alone. Under the shallowest conditions tested, the hybrid reef model dissipated up to 98 percent of incoming wave energy, with corals accounting for as much as 56 percent of the total reduction. The findings were published in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering.
The second-phase deployment incorporates three concrete SEAHIVE structures produced by 1Print, a University of Miami licensee specializing in advanced 3D-printed infrastructure solutions. The company manufactured the structures using proprietary concrete-printing technology designed to support resilient coastal and marine infrastructure.
"1Print, the University of Miami, and its partners have spent years advancing SEAHIVE 3DCP through research, engineering, environmental evaluation, permitting, and field deployment," said Adam Friedman, co-founder of 1Print. "This effort reflects the collaboration needed to bring together 3DCP and coastal infrastructure technologies—from concept to real-world applications that support national security, strengthen coastal communities, and promote healthier oceans."
Installed about 750 feet offshore near 81st Street in Miami Beach, the new structures expand the testbed for ongoing research into how engineered reefs and living corals work together to create habitat while reducing the impacts of waves and coastal flooding.
Scientists from the Rosenstiel School have attached 205 adult coral colonies representing seven native species to the new structures, including 100 colonies of great star coral (Montastraea cavernosa), 40 colonies of pencil coral (Madracis decactis) and 33 colonies of diffuse ivory bush coral (Oculina diffusa), along with four additional native reef-building species. Collaborators from SECORE International, together with Rosenstiel School scientists, have also introduced thousands of larvae of the grooved brain coral (Diploria labyrinthiformis) to the structures using specialized enclosures that encourage the larvae to settle on the structure and grow into new adult corals.
"The addition of these structures allows us to further evaluate how coral reef communities develop on engineered substrates while increasing coral diversity at the site," said Diego Lirman, professor in the Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, a Kyle Family Chair in Marine Conservation, and founding director of the Rescue a Reef coral restoration program. "By combining coral restoration with innovative engineering approaches, we are exploring solutions that can support reef recovery while helping coastal communities adapt to environmental change."
Developed in collaboration with the City of Miami Beach, ECoREEF provides a unique opportunity to study how engineered reef structures and restored corals function under real-world conditions. Researchers will continue monitoring coral survival and growth, marine life recruitment, and the long-term performance of the ECoREEF structures.
"Miami Beach is committed to protecting our economy, tourism and infrastructure through smart innovation," said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner. "By deploying nature-based coastal infrastructure, we are strengthening our storm readiness, reducing the high costs of storm damage and ensuring Miami Beach remains a safe, world-class destination for future generations."
The project brings together researchers from the Rosenstiel School, the College of Engineering, SECORE International, and other partner institutions to advance solutions for coastal resilience, ecosystem restoration, and nature-based coastal protection.
"The ECoREEF project exemplifies the kind of interdisciplinary innovation needed to address the growing challenges facing our coastlines," said Ben Kirtman, dean of the Rosenstiel School. "By bringing together engineering, coral biology, and climate science, this work is advancing future scalable strategies using nature-based solutions that strengthen coastal resilience while restoring marine ecosystems in South Florida and beyond."
In addition to U-LINK, research associated with ECoREEF has been supported by US Department of Defense. The University's X-REEFS project, funded by the DARPA Reefense Program with support from 1Print and its U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for R&D and the production of 3D printing and fabrication of the three newest ECoREEF sections, with monitoring supported by 1Print's grant from the US Department of Defense.
