The sustainability of the Barcelona port enlargement works

Abstract

In the Barcelona Port enlargement, currently under construction, part of the new quays are being backfilled with re-used materials such as tunneling waste, rubble from demolitions and dredged soils with poor geotechnical properties. This has resulted in a cost-effective and sustainable construction process that is one of the main goals of the Barcelona Port Authority (APB). A series of control tests have been carried out on the mentioned materials. In addition, dredged soils have been improved by preloading, a procedure that has been closely monitored by instrumentation. Very satisfactory results have been achieved by this re-use program both in terms of cost and of sustainability.