Marine and River Engineering
The consortium responsible for the construction of the dykes and protective structures has commissioned Terrasol to provide consultancy services to verify, from a geotechnical perspective, the stability of the various structures: embankment dikes enclosing hydraulic fill cells for the construction of embankments (total length 4 km), outer dikes (5.9 km), access channel slopes and breakwater foundations.
These studies were based on the highly detailed investigations carried out by the Port of Le Havre during the project’s development, as well as additional specific investigations undertaken as part of the detailed design phase, conducted both on land and at sea.
Great attention was paid to accounting for the hydraulic phenomena caused by tidal ranges: specific observations made during the construction phase enabled the calculation assumptions to be validated.
The concrete caissons to be installed by floating them in position at the breakwaters are also exceptional structures due to their dimensions: 56 m x 21 m, height 26 m, and their weight (13,000 tonnes before filling, 40,000 tonnes after filling).
Their foundations required careful attention: whether through the specific investigations and tests that were carried out, the justifications conducted in accordance with the ROSA 2000 recommendations, or the assessment of displacements during installation or in service.
Miscellaneous
- 5.9 km of protective dykes
- 3.6 km of enclosure dykes
- Outer channel 4,000 m long and 580 m at its widest point
- Turning circle with a radius of 353 m
- 45 million m³ of dredging
