Centro de Estudios de Puertos y Costas
Full view of the Test Building at the Centro de Estudios de Puertos y Costas
2003 was a year of intensive activity for the Centro de Estudios de Puertos y Costas not only in matters concerning technical assistance, applied research and training but also in developing new capacities that will enable the Centre to carry on providing these services at a greater level in the future, adapting them successively to emerging requirements on the basis of society's demands. One milestone that was particularly outstanding was the completion of the works undertaken to enlarge the Centre, which culminated with the commissioning of the Ship Manoeuvring Simulation Unit once it had been installed in its permanent location, together with a major extension and modernisation to the Marine Environment Quality Laboratory.
Throughout 2003 the activities undertaken at the Centre for the Ente Público Puertos del Estado and the Sistema Portuario de Titularidad Estatal dependent upon the Ministry of Fomento and for the Dirección General de Costas of the Ministry of Environment were performed in a structured and planned way, in accordance with their respective priorities and the Centre's capacities through plurennial Agreements signed with these bodies in 2002. Most of the activities are concerned with these framework agreements, and these are supplemented with activities carried out for other clients.
Coast Environmental Quality Laboratory
New Ship Manoeuvring Simulation Unit
The Plans, Projects and Works in the intensive development process that is currently taking place within the framework of the State-Owned Port Authorities, are the objective of a major part of the activities undertaken in which the Centre's capacities are developed through the Framework Collaboration Agreement between the Ente Público Puertos del Estado and CEDEX, in force for the period 2002-2004. This Agreement also involves ongoing technical assistance activities regarding environmental and geotechnical questions, as well as considerable commitment to both Research and Development, which are of strategic interest to the Ports and Harbours System.
In addition, a Collaboration Agreement concerning measurement networks supports the actions of CEDEX with respect to measurements in the nature providing backup for the Ports. Where activities aimed at the ports system are concerned, mention must first be made of wave measurement, headed by the operational maintenance work of the REMRO network, which has the most extensive series of wave data for the Spanish Coast and is thus a basic source of information of all types when it comes to wave analysis with a view to the planning or management of infrastructures. Furthermore, specific measurement campaigns were conducted for the Ports of Coruña (verifying the wave conditions at the site of the new Outer Port at Punta Langosteira) and Almería (disturbance affecting the new outer dock). As far as long waves are concerned, work continued at the Ports of Coruña (San Diego Basin), Cádiz (commercial basin and the extension of the work to cover the fishing basin) and Tarragona (fishing basin). Maritime climate studies were conducted for port design purposes using numerical disturbance models for the Ports of Bilbao long waves study in the fishing port of Ciérvana and a disturbance study for the extension to the Punta Lucero Breakwater), Coruña (updating the climate studies for the Punta Langosteira Outer Port), Valencia (disturbance study for the Port of Sagunto and the effects of extending the outer breakwater on the disturbance in Sagunto outer harbour) and Barcelona (a disturbance study for optimising the southern mouth of the port and another disturbance study for the its northern mouth).
Three-dimensional physical model studies were also carried out to help with port design layouts, in order to analyse in as great a detail as possible, the disturbance caused by the waves in sheltered zones and, above all, the operativity of the mooring positions. Work of this nature was performed in the following ports: Coruña (3D physical model test on the inner disturbance and on vessels moored in the new Punta Langosteira Outer Port), Tenerife (disturbance tests and vessels moored in the Port of Granadilla), Algeciras (3D physical model of the outer development of Isla Verde), Alicante (3D disturbance tests for the construction of wharves 19 and 21 in the Port of Alicante), Valencia (disturbance test for the Port of Sagunto), Castellón (3D model disturbance study and vessels moored in the enlarged area of the port) and Barcelona (3D physical model test on disturbance and vessels moored in the southern mouth basin and the dock for loading/unloading inflammable materials).
Partial view of the Test Building at the Centro de Estudios de Puertos y Costas
A special reference must be made to the large model developed for the Port of Algeciras, required for the layout of the Bahía de Algeciras, which envisaged successive enlargement phases in the Isla Verde zone.
Large wave channel
Ship Manoeuvring Studies were carried out, also with a view to port design layout and access safety, using speeded up numerical models and the new Manoeuvring Simulation Unit. Along these lines, studies were undertaken in Pasajes (access to the Port and the Lezo zone), Santander (entrance and exit of vessels with considerable deadworks), Ferrol (access to the port considering the enlargement made to Cabo Prioriño and especially the manoeuvres involving gas-carrying ships), Vigo (ship movement studies on car transport vessels for the enlargement to the port ferry terminal) and Barcelona (movement studies in the Dársena Nacional). Numerical movement studies were also carried out for Coruña (emergency manoeuvres in the Outer Port at Punta Langosteira and movements at the entrance to the Outer Port at Punta Langosteira), Algeciras (movements in the new basin at Isla Verde) . Since CEDEX installed the first bridge simulator for studying manoeuvres in port environments in 1991, this speciality has become an essential part of the studies in this country, both for design and for operational assessment and safety management for port and harbour installations and facilities, and there is an ever-increasing demand for such studies.
Numerous breakwater stability and functionality studies were also performed on protection works, using the Multidirectional Wave Tank to analyse structural problems of a three-dimensional nature, and the Large Wave Channel for designing and verifying the best conditions for the structural sections that are subjected to the greatest stress or the most complex ones, paying particular attention to the Ports of Coruña and Barcelona. Work was undertaken for the Ports of Coruña (multidirectional 3D model study on the protection breakwater for the new outer port.
Some of the world's black spots for dumping hydrocarbon waste
2D stability studies conducted in the main flume on the breakwater type section and a multidirectional 3D model study on the stability of the breakwater head), Las Palmas (2D physical model of the extension to the Reina Sofía Breakwater), Algeciras (study on the breakwater whose face has a low reflection level), Alicante (2D stability and overtopping tests on the type section of the breakwater in the enlarged area of the port) and Barcelona (large scale 2D physical model of the Eastern Breakwater; 3D multidirectional tests on the point of contact between the sloping and vertical sections of the northern mouth; large scale physical model of the overtopping phenomenon that affects the outer development and hotel zone at the 2nd mouth and 3D multidirectional tests on the Sur-Fase III Breakwater). A singular physical model study was developed for the Port of Sevilla (hydraulic study of the new gates for the port), with a view to analysing the hydraulic operations of the filling and emptying mechanisms, as well as the forces that the currents in the gates will exert upon the vessels passing through. A variety of sediment dynamics studies were also carried out for the Port of Huelva (maintenance dredging studies on the basis of the channel depth; monitoring the development of the silting process at the Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo and Ciudad de Palos docks and collaborating in the supervision of the sand replenishment project for the beach by the Dique del Rey) and Algeciras (silting up of the mouth of the River Guadarranque).
The studies carried out for the Port of Ferrol (controlling the environmental monitoring programme for the Port enlargement works) was one of the environmental activities performed for the Port Authorities), and others included Las Palmas (turbidity in the vicinity of the rubble works), Huelva (analysis of the environmental, meteorological and oceanographic conditions in the zone in the face of the potential dumping of hydrocarbons in the Port), Cartagena (description of the sediment for dredging the Bastarreche of Escombreras Breakwater) and Barcelona (description of the sediment in the Port). A special reference must be made to the studied commissioned by the Port of Huelva, which will form the basis for the actions to be taken in the event of the dumping of hydrocarbon waste in a zone that is highly sensitive.
CEDEX vessel departing to take different measurements in the River Miño Estuary.
A series of lines of general interest constituted the R&D&i port activities. In 2003, work continued on improving and developing measurement network technologies with a major breakthrough being made in the study of wave data transfer and information redundancies between the off-shore network and the on-shore network, which will serve to optimise the systems that are displayed. Where the application of numerical models for wave transformation in port engineering was concerned, this Centre, together with other institutions, carried on playing an active part in the agreement involving the development of a Boussinesq finite elements model. Work was completed on the instrumentation of prototype marine structures for the Reina Sofía Breakwater in the Port of Las Palmas, Phase 2003, and the Levante Breakwater in the Port of Málaga, and work began on the instrumentation for the Port of Bilbao, which has to be performed in 2004.
Two activities involving the development of methodologies for studying the effects of port activities on the environment were completed in 2003: state-of-the-art modelling for suspended sediment behaviour in the dumping of dredged material, and an analysis of the sensitivity of marine phanerogams to dredging activities and the dumping of dredged material in the sea. As far as basic studies were concerned for updating the Dredged Material Management Recommendations (RGMD), progress was made in drawing up a new RGMD text and in developing a methodology for measuring the stannic compounds in sediments and biota and in describing the dredged material by conducting biological tests. Work also continued with the Ministry of Fomento in collaboration with the Dirección General de la Marina Mercante, investigating waste-dumping incidents involving ships.
For the Dirección General de Costas (Ministry of Environment), and as part of the new direction taken, more in keeping with the functions of the Dirección General where protecting the marine environment and its coastal ecosystems is concerned, the Centre carried on in 2003 with the activities forming part of the agreement established for 2002-2003, and work also got under way on planning future actions. First of all, mention must be made of the studies carried out on the Miño and Guadiana estuaries, which involved in situ sedimentology measurements and environmental variables, as well as marine biosphere studies.
Erosion affecting a dune at the mouth of the River Guadiana
Secondly, the Centre continued to provide the Dirección General de Costas with technical and scientific support, by representing Spain in international agreements for protecting the marine environment: London and OSPAR. The Agreement has also received the support of the Dirección General de Costas for the tasks involved in applying the Water Framework Directive in matters concerning coastal waters and transition waters. By mutual agreement, these tasks, which are of paramount importance, have led to the technical planning of a wide range of activities to be performed as part of the new Agreement between the Dirección General de Costas and CEDEX, envisaged for 2004.
Artificial nourishment of one of the cells on the beach at Campello as part of the work conducted by CEDEX for the Dirección General de Costas
Work progressed on developing environmental quality criteria for the sand to be used in beach nourishment programmes, as part of the basic studies for environmental assessment and planning, and regarding specific actions taken in the field of environmental assessment and planning, the experimental phase began for the tests on the three-dimensional scale model of the groyne at the Puerto Espíndola Beach (La Palma) and the section of the groyne at the Monís Beach (Tenerife). A number of coastal dynamics studies were also carried out on the Mediterranean Coast, as a result of which proposals were made for specific actions to be taken, namely in Ampurias, Bagur, Benicasim, Campello and the mouth of the Júcar. In 2003 work was completed on the wave monitoring and beach evolution campaigns in Salinas (Asturias) and Deva (Guipúzcoa).
Within the framework of the agreement, CEDEX organised a technical symposium on the seagrass beds of Posidonia Oceánica, with a view to raising the level of awareness of the civil servants at the Dirección General de Costas about this important habitat that abounds on the Mediterranean Coast.
The Centre also initiated a series of studies for the Dirección General de Obras Hidráulicas y Calidad de las Aguas (Ministry of Environment) in order to analyse the reject disposal into the sea from desalination plants and its effects upon the marine environment, as well as the impact of the treated waste discharged from outfalls. The former were a continuation of the research and technical assistance activities developed for the Segura River Basin and the Canales del Taibilla Association, with the twofold aim of providing technical assistance for the installations planned or constructed by the aforementioned Dirección General and to establish a series of technical recommendations for disposing of these wastes.
The research work involves taking in situ measurements, developing numerical models and conducting experiments with scale models for verification purposes. At the end of 2003 the Centre completed the work started in 2002 providing support for the Junta de Apoyo Logístico de la Armada (Ministry of Defence), with environmental and engineering studies conducted at the naval bases in Ferrol, Rota and Cartagena. Work was also performed for the Autonomous Regions of Murcia and the País Vasco, and major studies were planned for the Principado de Asturias with a view to enlarging the Port of Cudillero, which is to take place in 2004.
Study of the mouth of the River Guadarranque
One of the most outstanding activities for private clients was commissioned by FCC, and this involved large scale research work on innovative designs for vertical breakwaters and docks with low reflection faces, in order to improve the disturbance conditions, inside the basins and at the entrance to ports. This involves a first stage, the conceptual design, and a subsequent stage, the physical model tests conducted on the chosen solutions.
Apart from developing the engineering techniques that are dealt with succinctly below in a monographic way, a new numerical technique was implemented at the Centre in order to study the more complex problems of fluid mechanics and their interactions with all types of structures; a 3D model using the SPH method, Lagrangian technique which does not require discretization grids and that enables to treat flows with major deformations on the free surface. This new and promising technique may prove to be a very useful supplement to physical experiments, when it comes to promoting innovative marine engineering developments, which are often limited in scope by a lack of study tools, and it can also be applied to environmental hydraulics studies for the dispersal of concentrations of waste.
Reject disposal from the Arucas-Moya desalination plant (Gran Canaria)
One outstanding event on an international level, was the calling of the First Meeting of the Latin American National Engineering and Hydraulic Research Institutes, organised by CEDEX and the Instituto Nacional de Hidráulica de Chile, and sponsored by AECI; this will be held in the first few months of 2004 with a view to setting up a Network of Institutes that can serve as a springboard for improving international collaboration in this geographical area and, especially, for enhancing projects on a regional level. Further developments were also made on the Ports and Coastal Engineering International Master, now in its 4th Edition, also sponsored by AECI, and progress was made on preparing the International Conference WAVES 2005, which will be held in July 2005 in Madrid.
Centre continued to take part in several work groups and technical committees of international associations or under the auspices of the European Union, such as Hydralab, both in aspects concerning engineering and the quality of the coastal environment.
Monographic article
Developing new capacities at the Centro de Estudios de Puertos y Costas
The Centro de Estudios de Puertos y Costas recently completed the development of a new northern wing to its installations, adding a further four floors, covering a surface area of 1,500 m2. This enlargement is in keeping with the intensive and ever-increasing activity, and enables the Centre to cope with the challenge of the new requirements of those who benefit from its activities. Part of the new zone has been used for updating and refurbishing different workshops, with a view to enlarging and modernising the Coastal Environment Quality Laboratory and to installing the new Ship Manoeuvring Simulation Unit.
The Coastal Environment Quality Laboratory, which is now twice its former size, specialises in conducting chemical and biological analyses and quality and contamination studies of marine waters and marine sediments, as well as analysing the dumping of hydrocarbons from ships. The laboratory works jointly with specialists in environmental hydraulics in the search for ways of improving the quality of coastal zones. Some lines of activity of particular importance are the management of contaminated sediment dredged in port areas, the quality of the water in bathing areas and the quality of beach sediments, as well as protecting coastal ecosystems.
Partial view of the new Coast Environmental Quality Laboratory
The new Ship Manoeuvring Simulation unit is on the top floor of the new wing and is equipped with a main bridge for carrying out complete mission simulations, a secondary bridge and a control centre that is equipped with four further micro-simulators for a realistic manual control over tugs. The main bridge is provided with a cylindrical screen for viewing a horizontal range of 270º outside the cabin, which was constructed with 9 projectors each of which covers a 30º sector, thus permitting a very realistic virtual experience. The secondary bridge, with a view to the exterior of 120º was designed for joint manoeuvres with Voith-Schneider tugs, in connection with the main bridge, but which can also be used for independent and simultaneous studies using other vessels or simulation scenarios. The nucleus of the system is a numerical model of the ship with six degrees of freedom that, in its development, takes into account external environmental forces that are variable in nature, such as the wind, currents and wave movements. Effects caused by the seabed and structures are also incorporated, together with the interaction with other floating vessels. The fields for these actions such as wave movement and currents on the simulation domain are obtained from numerical models devised by other units at the Centre.
View of one of the bridges for the new Ship Manoeuvring Simulation Unit of CEDEX.
The system can simulate any type of manoeuvre inside or in the vicinity of a Port: entering or exiting with the aid of tugs, the use of anchors, mooring and emergency situations, reproducing the failure of a variety of systems. The Centre has a library of 80 numerical models of vessels and a visual database for 18 spanish ports and 40 foreign ones.
The unit consists of two merchant navy captains in charge of the bridge operations and three naval engineers who are responsible for designing and developing the studies and general control over the systems, plus auxiliary personnel to operate the systems.
The Centro de Estudios de Puertos y Costas has been working on ship manoeuvring simulation since 1991, when the first Bridge was installed, using it jointly with its other physical installations and numerical facilities to study ports. The simulation of manoeuvres now plays a major role in the analysis of layout design for new port terminals and in improving the operativity and safety studies in existing port installations.