The tunnel immersion specialist will engineer and execute the floatation, transportation and immersion of the eight concrete caissons, each weighing 21,000t.
A movable barrier mounted on the caissons will protect Venice from flooding. The project has been commissioned by the Venice authorities.
Strukton’s contract awarded to, valued at over €8m, is for the lagoon's southern entrance, near Chioggia. Strukton will perform this work for Clodia, an Italian contractor alliance. Engineering will commence immediately and the project will be executed in summer 2014.
Venice spans a group of small islands in the middle of a lagoon. For centuries it has suffered flooding from the Adriatic Sea, but these floods are becoming more frequent. Not only is the sea level rising, the city is also sinking into the soft soil. As part of the MOdulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico (Mose) project, work has begun on the construction of a storm surge barrier to prevent further flooding, by sealing the lagoon off in case of high water. The storm surge barrier system is made up of movable barriers being constructed at the three entrances to the lagoon, near Lido, Malamocco and Chioggia. The barriers will only be closed in the case of extremely high water; the system is comparable to the Maeslant barrier in the Netherlands.
Martijn Smitt, director of Strukton Immersion Projects, said: “Due to the nature of the activities and the many interfaces within the floatation, transport and placing process, this project will be handled by a dedicated, experienced team in close cooperation with the Clodia project organisation.”
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