Design and Construction of the Western Breakwater for the Outer Port at Punta Langosteira (A Coruã‘a, Spain)

Abstract

This paper describes the design process, hydraulic stability tests and construction of the Cubipod ® armored Western breakwater at Punta Langosteira (Outer Port of A Coruña, Spain), located on the Atlantic coast of Spain. The environmental, geotechnical, economic and logistic conditions favored randomly-placed Cubipods for single-layer armoring of the trunk. 3D hydraulic stability tests were carried out to validate the final design of the Western Breakwater; two models were tested with single-and double-layer Cubipod armors in the trunk and roundhead, respectively. Single-layer 25-and 30-tonne Cubipod ® armors were used for the trunk section and a double-layer 45tonne Cubipod ® armor was used for the roundhead. During this project, new challenges were overcome, such as constructing a transition between single and double-layer armors, and manufacturing and handling of 45-tonne Cubipods. The transition in the armor thickness was solved by modifying the filter thickness under the main armor, to ensure a homogeneous external armor profile. Breakwater construction finished in November 2016 with no significant problem or delay in the original schedule.

Feasibility Study of the Installation of Wave Energy Converters in Existing Breakwaters in the North of Spain

“…As can be seen in Figure 5, Punta Langosteira is a rubble mound breakwater with concrete blocks in the armor layer around 150 tons [10], with the top of the non-overtopping crown wall at +25.00 m. Torres is a rubble mound breakwater with concrete pieces in the armor layer around 90 tons, with the top of the non-overtopping crown wall at +17.50 m. Norte is a vertical breakwater with 32 × 52 × 32 m caissons, with the top of the crown wall at the same height as Torres breakwater. Punta Lucero is a rubble mound breakwater with concrete blocks in the armor layer around 150 tons, with the top of the non-overtopping crown wall at +21.00 m [9]10. The rest of characteristics of the four breakwaters can be seen in Table 1.…”

“…Sci. 2019, 9,5225 14 of 31 maritime climate in average regime were selected [24,25]. In Figures 10-12, different graphic results of the characterization of the maritime climate in the three study points are shown.…”

“…On the other hand, it is possible to take advantage of existing maritime structures to install devices for harnessing renewable energies. The north coastal facade in Spain has some of the great breakwaters built in the country [9]. The research included in the present paper analyzes the way of using existing breakwaters not only for the shelter of the vessels in their typically port function, but also as the main structure to incorporate wave energy converters.…”

“…Sci. 2019,9, 5225 15 of Villano-Sisargas-Punta Langosteira breakwater, index 28, index 145, index 139.After propagation with the CMS Wave software, the maritime climate is obtained in all the proposed target points for each breakwater. Combining the available potential energy matrices (Pierson-Moskowitz spectrum) together with the characterization of the maritime climate at target points (frequency in hours of the different combinations of the Hs-Tp waves), the wave energy available at these points are obtained.In Punta Langosteira: 287,504 MWh/year in P1; 291,328 MWh/year in P2; 291,316 MWh/year in P3; 287,024 MWh/year in P4.…”