La Coruña: Langosteira breakwater

Period:	04/2004-07/2004
Location:	Spain
Client:	NECSO, Ferrovial, FCC

assignment/short description

New port developments at Punta Langosteira near La Coruña in the northwest part of Spain required the construction of a new large rubble mound breakwater. Due to the severe wave climate, with wave heights up to 15 m, the dimensions of this breakwater are enormous. The length of the breakwater is approximately 3 kilometers and the breakwater reaches a depth of CD 40 m. The main armour layer was designed with concrete cubes of 150 ton (i.e. units of 4m x 4m x 4m). Because of the severe wave climate, construction is only to take place during the summer months over a number of years. During the winter season the unfinished breakwater needs to be temporarily protected. A consortium of contractors, NECSO, Ferrovial and FCC, commissioned Deltares | Delft Hydraulics to carry out physical model tests to investigate the stability of several parts of the breakwater in several stages of the construction.