Ampliación del Puerto de Mónaco (1 de 2)

Enlargement of the Condamine Port in Monaco

Historical Context and Initial Construction

• The port of Monaco was constructed in the early 20th century, with completion in 1914.

• Two opposing moles were built to accommodate the shape of the sea bottom, directing the port mouth eastward.

Objectives for Expansion

• A study conducted in the 1960s aimed to evaluate the benefits of enlarging the port:

• Enhance protection from waves.

• Facilitate mooring for cruise liners over 30,000 tonnes and longer than 200 meters.

• Recover land from the sea for commercial and leisure use.

Structural Design Features

• The outer harbor's protection included:

• A breakwater measuring 490 meters.

• A counter dyke flanking the entrance at a length of 145 meters.

• An innovative caisson designed with:

• Length: 352 meters; Beam: up to 44 meters; Height: 24.5 meters.

• Built for a lifespan of approximately 100 years, it has a service displacement of around 163,000 tonnes.

Innovative Joint Design

• The caisson is anchored by eight chains (three on land side, five on sea side), secured to metal piles at sea bottom.

• It features a conical revolving joint weighing about 650 tonnes that allows three degrees of freedom (yaw and pitch adjustments). This design helps absorb wave forces effectively.

Interior Layout and Facilities

• The interior includes various functional areas:

• Access road tunnel and ramp.

• Four parking levels accommodating up to 400 vehicles.

• Commercial spaces alongside pedestrian walkways.

• Dry dock for leisure craft and goods storage, maritime station, lighthouse, and berths for large boats and cruise liners.

Construction Logistics

• Due to space constraints in Monaco, construction occurred outside its borders at Crinavis Bay in Algeciras.

• All work was executed in one phase within a prepared lagoon area designated as a dry dock during construction. Excavation reached depths suitable for launching fully finished caissons.

Building Process Details

• Caisson construction involved creating transverse walls filled with sand between them to support coffering bases.

• Divided into eight modules (seven at lengths of 48m each plus one joint module at length of16m), ensuring structural integrity throughout building phases. Pre-fabricated elements were utilized extensively to optimize efficiency.

Reinforcement Techniques

• Passive reinforcements were manufactured off-site while concrete components like floors were prefabricated nearby.