Extension to the Port of Tarragona breakwater, Spain

Abstract

Recent works at the Port of Tarragona in Spain invovled extending the length of the existing outer breakwater by 845 m following the same alignment. A vertical breakwater solution was adopted composed of reinforced-concrete prefabricated caissons with walls 24 m wide, 26 m wide at the base and founded at elevation −21·50 m. A total of 11 caissons were constructed, each 66·85 m long, the new breakwater being joined to the old one by a typical section of rubblemound breakwater with an armour layer composed of 39 t massed concrete blocks at the trunk of the breakwater and 59 t blocks at the roundhead. The depth of the seabed where the works were constructed ranges progressively from approximately 23 to 27 m. While the works were being performed, the Pineda Beach was regenerated with successive loads of sand (400 000 m3 in 4 years), in fulfilment of the environmental impact statement for the project. It took 34 months to complete the works.