|
In just
30 minutes, 79 hollow tidal gates rise
up at the
threat of high water levels to block the
lagoon off
from the Mediterranean
|
The construction of one of the largest
tide barriers in Europe, which is being
built to protect the historically unique
trade city, Venice, from flooding, is
entering the critical phase.
Bosch Rexroth has put the hydraulics for
a caisson transfer system into
operation. It moves concrete blocks,
each weighing up to 23 000 tons, to the
loading station. They form the
foundation of the "mobile" tide barrier,
the Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico,
(MOSE), that protects the Venetian
lagoon from the spring tides of the
Mediterranean, which threaten the future
of the city.
MOSE is based on the principle of air
buoyancy. In a concrete construction,
situated on the seabed at the lagoon
openings between the islands off the
coast of Venice, are 79, tightly spaced,
hollow flood gates made of steel. |
They are connected to the foundation by
means of a joint. While at rest, they
lie flat on the bottom. If high water
threatens, compressed air pushes the
water out of the 20m wide and five metre
thick steel bodies and pushes them
upright within 30 minutes. The mobile
tide barrier seals off the lagoon from
spring tides as great as three meters
high. The highest spring tide to date
measured 1, 94m.
A heavy load transport system from TTS
Handling Systems of Norway connects the
pouring station on land with the loading
equipment for sea transport.
The project is due for completion in
2012. |
Powerful
hydraulics from Bosch Rexroth transport
up to
23 000 tons of heavy concrete finished
parts from the
casting station, to the loading station
for sea transport.
The 1600m long concrete foundation on
the sea
bed accommodates the movable tidal gates |
