Improve knowledge on maritime infrastructure behavior

SATO helps improve the available knowledge on maritime structure behavior by working with clients, partners and research organizations through studies and different research projects with the aim of designing, building and maintaining more sustainable and lasting infrastructures.

DYNAPORT project

Promoted by partners in the UTE Langosteira, with participation from SATO, Dragados, the Eduardo Torroja Institute (CSIC centre), Oficemen, Geocisa, Copasa, IECA and Galaicontrol, thanks to DYNAPORT project it has been possible to develop a management tool to recalculate the safety and durability of port structures. The project has included the definition of indicators and in situ monitoring systems in real time, applicable over the dike’s entire life cycle. The project was approved in 2008 by the Development Ministry within the Transport and Infrastructures Sub-program of the National Public-Private Cooperation Program.

CLIOMAR project

Led by SATO and jointly funded by CDTI, CLIOMAR project, focused on studying an important set of aspects and phenomena, for a dike under construction, using a system of video-monitoring, buoys and weather stations, including:

  • Qualification of run-up and overflow phenomena, and validation with the results obtained from the usual formulas used. Analysis of swell conditions that really affect the dike in provisional sections and in sections already built
  • Study of the influence of the swell that affects stability in built sections
  • Analysis of the protective armor porosity effect on the dike’s functionality and stability
  • Validation of the usual stability formulas for the armor in relation to their level of faults in core and roundhead
  • Design and execution of small-scale trials, to check against the real results obtained

SATO also broadens its knowledge of maritime structures beyond the port field. For example, in the field of off-shore wind turbines, through the CEO project, currently running with CDTI funding, focused on development of a new foundation technology for wind turbines and other off-shore structures, that can provide the new technology required to install them at great depths under the sea (between 30 and 50 meters).