3D printed concrete sleepers to support Teesside carbon capture pipeline

A major carbon capture project in Teesside is set to use 3D-printed concrete components to support part of its onshore carbon dioxide pipeline network. The approach reflects the growing use of digital manufacturing in infrastructure, where reducing material use, improving safety and lowering embodied carbon are increasingly important design priorities.

Around 90 high-strength concrete pipe support bases, known as sleepers, will be manufactured for approximately 1.3 km of onshore CO₂ pipelines. These pipelines form part of the Northern Endurance Partnership’s CO₂ gathering system, which will provide transportation and storage infrastructure for carbon capture projects in Teesside. The wider project is part of the East Coast Cluster, one of the UK’s major industrial decarbonisation programmes.

The sleepers will be produced by Hyperion Robotics using robotic 3D concrete printing. The process removes the need for conventional formwork and allows each unit to be manufactured with precise, repeatable geometry. Compared with traditional precast concrete solutions, the method is expected to reduce concrete and steel use by around 40% and cut carbon emissions by up to 50%.

The design is also expected to reduce soil excavation and lower the amount of plant and labour required on site. This is significant for pipeline projects, where repeated support elements can create cumulative savings in materials, transport, installation time and construction risk.

According to the project partners, the sleepers are up to 60% lighter than conventional alternatives while offering significantly improved strength through a thin, reinforced base design. This combination of lower weight and high structural performance is intended to support faster installation and improve handling safety during construction.

The use of 3D-printed concrete in this project shows how infrastructure delivery is beginning to move beyond conventional construction methods for repeated civil engineering components. By combining digital design, automated manufacturing and offsite production, standardised concrete elements can be optimised for performance, material efficiency and ease of installation.

For carbon capture infrastructure, this is particularly relevant. The purpose of the wider project is to reduce industrial emissions, so the construction methods used to deliver it are also under pressure to reduce embodied carbon. Lower material consumption, reduced emissions and safer installation all support the environmental case for the scheme.

The Teesside project may therefore become a useful reference point for future pipeline corridors, energy infrastructure and industrial decarbonisation projects. If the sleepers perform as expected, 3D-printed concrete could become a practical option for repeated civil engineering components where geometry, durability and carbon efficiency need to be carefully balanced.