Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Finally, we emphasize, under the techni-
cal assistance scope, the detailed analysis of the
instrumentation reports with weekly readings. Due
to the numerous retaining structures to execute it
has been chosen to monitor only the most impor-
tant, the ones with a higher total height and which
eventual misbehavior could induce major damages,
optimizing this way the monitor plan to implement,
considering enough the installation of 70 topo-
graphical marks to observe the retaining structures
and soil' horizontal and vertical displacements in
the surface.
The results analysis revealed an adequate
behavior of the structures, and no instability was
detected.
in fact, the maximum horizontal displacement
registered at the retaining walls was of about 3 to
4 mm for the higher structures, with approximately
8.0 m height, and in the excavation structures the
measures never reached 0,1% of the excavation
height, with an average height of about 6.0 m.
associated with this significant coordination
activity it is also important to point out the extreme
importance of knowing the existent geological con-
ditions already in the design phase, which allowed
taking the most out of the formations mechanical
characteristics and of the local conditions in order
to define the different kind of retaining structures
to use.
in the technical assistance phase the basis of the
project were validated and the solutions adjusted
to the real conditions that were found during the
works. These adjustments sometimes resulted in
significant work reductions and, subsequently, in
some costs savings.
acknoWleDGeMenTs
The authors would like to thank to holiday
Property Bond (cabo Girão Resort Developer),
to Mota-engil (contractor) and to all parties
involved, for their important technical contribu-
tion for the success of this tourist development
and for the permission to disclose the elements
presented in this paper.
5
conclUsions
The cabo Girão Tourist Resort retaining struc-
tures and all the resort's global design led to, in
all project phases, a strong intervention and coop-
eration between the architecture and engineering
teams. in fact, the optimization of all solutions in
the design phase became a significant task, assur-
ing the necessary integration taking into account
the existing conditionings, all the more, since the
retaining works corresponded to 15% of the work
total value.
in such a large and multidisciplinary project, it
was essential the compatibility, not only between
the different retaining structures adopted, but also
between the different civil engineering specialties,
being the work organization crucial in order to
simplify the execution process.
ReFeRences
cenorgeo 2003a.
Cabo Girão Tourist Resort. Geological-
Geotechnical Study.
Final Project (in portuguese).
cenorgeo 2003b.
Cabo Girão Tourist Resort. Retaining
Structures.
Prelimary studies (in portuguese).
cenorgeo 2004.
Cabo Girão Tourist Resort. Retaining
Structures.
Final Project (in portuguese).
Freitas, a.R.J., Baião, c.J.o., Brito, J.a.M. 2006. Retain-
ing structures of special slopes. The case of the new
expressways in Madeira island.
10th National Congress
on Geotechnics. Lisboa. Portugal
(in portuguese).