by Nazila Emamdoost (1,2), Franck Schoefs(1), Krish Thiagarajan Sharman(2)
(1) Institute of Marine Substances and Organisms (ISOMer), Nantes University, France
(2) Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA
Biofouling increases surface roughness and effective diameter of offshore structures, leading to higher drag forces.
This study investigates mussel biofouling effects on mooring-line cylinder. 3D-printed mussel sleeves developed at Nantes Université represent smooth and rough fouled conditions. Mussel growth increased drag by ~36% compared with smooth cylinders.
