Constructive Solution to Contain Maritime Flood With Minimum Environmental Impact at Ponta Da Praia, In Santos

Abstract

Significant rises in sea level have caused major disturbances in Santos, on the coast of the State of São Paulo. Initially, this project carried out a survey of storm surges that occurred in Santos, from 1945 to 2013, including the determination of the levels reached. In an initial phase, characteristics of floods were analysed, considering their frequency and intensity. As a solution to the problem of flooding, the purpose of this work was to analyse the feasibility of building a flood containment system, with panels placed in ditches on the line not influenced by geomorphological changes in beach sediments, close to the boardwalk. This panels would be elevated with the activation of pneumatic pistons, in the event of large rises in sea level, having a reduced environmental impact. Numerical simulations were carried out for the years 2016 and 2017, to determine the hydrodynamic behaviour of the coastal region, and thus analyse the major forces acting the containment system. In addition, an outline of the environmental impact analysis for the implementation of the suggested containment system is presented.