Geotechnical characterization and structural monitoring activities, Italia
SOCOTEC Italy is the strategic partner for monitoring and engineering survey activities related to the New Genoa Breakwater, playing a crucial role in ensuring safety, accuracy and operational continuity in a highly complex offshore construction environment.
Defined as the “eyes of the breakwater”, SOCOTEC technicians operate both above and below sea level, supporting the installation of mega caissons up to 33 meters high through continuous, real-time monitoring systems. The activity, organized in continuous shifts and in close collaboration with the Webuild Group, enables the transformation of offshore operations into reliable and timely engineering data, making a decisive contribution to the success of the infrastructure and the enhancement of the Port of Genoa.
Key informations
- Project Name: Geotechnical Characterization and Structural Monitoring Activities – Genoa Breakwater
- Date: 2024 – ongoing
- Client: PerGenova Breakwater (Webuild, Fincantieri, Fincosit)
- Location: Genoa, Italy
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Project details
The new Genoa breakwater is a strategic infrastructure aimed at adapting the port to the evolving demands of international maritime traffic, characterized by increasingly larger vessels and growing logistics flows. The project will improve port accessibility, increase operational capacity and ensure safer navigation conditions, while optimizing maneuvering and port operations.
The project involves the construction of a fully offshore breakwater, with a total length of approximately 6 km, positioned further from the coast compared to the existing structure. This new configuration will expand maneuvering areas within the port basin and adapt the infrastructure to accommodate next-generation vessels.
The project stands out for its high engineering complexity, due to both installation depths and the geotechnical conditions of the seabed. The construction involves the installation of large concrete caissons on a properly prepared and consolidated seabed, requiring continuous monitoring of ground conditions and construction phases to ensure long-term stability and performance.
Our expertise
Geotechnical monitoring activities
SOCOTEC is involved in seabed monitoring during construction phases, with particular focus on the positioning of concrete caissons. Monitoring ground behavior is essential to verify the correct response of the seabed to the loads induced by the structure.
Monitoring activities include:
installation and management of piezometers to measure pore water pressure
installation of inclinometers to monitor horizontal displacements
use of profilometers to measure seabed settlements
The collected data is transmitted to centralized systems for processing and analysis, enabling continuous monitoring of geotechnical conditions and validation of design assumptions.
SOCOTEC is involved in seabed monitoring during construction phases, with particular focus on the positioning of concrete caissons. Monitoring ground behavior is essential to verify the correct response of the seabed to the loads induced by the structure.
Monitoring activities include:
installation and management of piezometers to measure pore water pressure
installation of inclinometers to monitor horizontal displacements
use of profilometers to measure seabed settlements
The collected data is transmitted to centralized systems for processing and analysis, enabling continuous monitoring of geotechnical conditions and validation of design assumptions.
Bathymetric surveys and construction control
SOCOTEC performs hydrographic and bathymetric surveys to support construction activities, using high-resolution multibeam technology.
Activities include
1# monitoring of material placement operations
2# verification of seabed elevations and geometries
3# control of filling and consolidation activities
4# support to demolition and reconstruction operations
These surveys enable the generation of 3D seabed models used for geometric control of the structure and validation of construction phases.
Data management and analysis
The monitoring system is based on an integrated network of instruments connected to data acquisition units.
Collected data is processed through dedicated software, allowing:
- graphical and 3D visualization of data
- real-time monitoring of measured parameters
- support for operational decision-making on site
Project value
SOCOTEC’s activities contribute to the control of geotechnical conditions and verification of construction phases, reducing risks associated with offshore construction. The integration of monitoring, surveys and data analysis ensures high standards of quality and safety in the execution of the project.
Eyes of the Breakwater – Episode 2: Number Ten – SOCOTEC
