Evaluation of the application potential of coral concrete for marine infrastructures

Abstract

The growing demand for sustainable and cost-effective marine infrastructure in remote island regions has stimulated interest in locally sourced construction materials. This study investigates the feasibility of producing coral concrete using on-site marine resources, specifically coral coarse aggregates, coral sand, and seawater that are collected from offshore islands. A coral concrete mix was experimentally developed by optimizing the water-to-cement ratio and aggregate proportions, resulting in a compressive strength of 35.7 MPa after 28 days of curing, which corresponds to the strength grade B25. Physical and mechanical properties of the coral-derived aggregates were thoroughly characterized, and the estimated elastic modulus was computed using several empirical models to evaluate strength characteristics. In addition to mix development and material testing, the study explores potential applications of coral concrete in marine infrastructure. The study identifies key technical challenges, including dynamic resistance performance, limited long-term durability data under marine exposure, and a lack of design codes. The findings of this research contribute to expanding the application potential of coral concrete in Vietnam’s marine and coastal infrastructure systems.