Author(s): Corrado Altomare; Xavier Gironella; Joaquim Sospedra; Jose Dominguez; Angelo Tafuni; Alejandro J. C. Crespo

Linked Author(s): Corrado Altomare

Keywords: Wave loads; Pier; Composite modelling; Focused wave groups; DualSPHysics

Abstract: The Pont del Petroli pier is a structure located in Badalona, north of Barcelona (Spain). It was built in the 60s to allow mooring of petroleum tankers and currently it represents a historical and social asset of the Catalan coastline. In January 2020 the so-called winter storm “Gloria” struck the Mediterranean coast of Spain and France. The combination of extreme wave conditions (recorded significant wave heights in excess of 8.5 m), wind velocities (up to 100 km/h) and the long event duration (the storm peak lasted nearly two days), caused flooding events, casualties and severe damages to infrastructures. Among these, the front platform and the most seaward footbridge beam of the Pont del Petroli were heavily damaged. Due to the lack of specific measurements of local sea conditions, estimates of maximum wave heights between 8 and 9 meters were made possible only by photos and videos. A composite-modelling approach is proposed herein to reproduce the specific conditions that led to the failure of the pier. The main goal of the work is to reconstruct the specific scenarios caused by storm Gloria and to provide information on the ultimate resistance of the pier structural elements. The DualSPHysics code has been employed for the characterization of the loads exerted on each pier element by extreme wave conditions representative of storm Gloria. The DualSPHysics numerical model is one of the most advanced among CFD models based on the meshless Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics method (SPH), and is conceived and developed for real engineering applications. The influence of different bathymetric profiles and local water depths on the impact loads has been analyzed. Data from bathymetric surveys carried out before and after the storm has been used. The surveys showed a radical change in the bottom bathymetry at the toe of the structure, with sand accretion and reduction of water depth from 10m to 8m, approximately. This heavy change is expected to affect the wave transformation and breaking right before the structure quite significantly. Results from our numerical model have been employed for a proper setup and design of the next experimental campaign, carried out in the large-scale wave flume facility CIEM at UPC in Barcelona. The experimental campaign is currently ongoing and will provide several new insights on the forces and pressure acting on the pier during storm Gloria. The results will then be employed for the upgrade of the Pont del Petroli pier. At the conference, the main results from both numerical and experimental modelling will be presented for the first time. Furthermore, an extensive description of the damage to the real structure and the possible source of it will be provided.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3850/IAHR-39WC252171192022192

Year: 2022