North Mole Extension

The contract of the “North Mole Extension” is the extension of Quay/Breakwater located in the northwestern part of the peninsula of Gibraltar.

The extension of the existing Quay, 270 m, consists in the installation of 9 concrete caissons based on rockfill foundation and aims to increase the area of land available with the propose of building a new “Power Station” in this area.

This structure will be finished at elevation +4.00 m OD and the foundation to -8.00 m OD. From level -10.50 m OD to level -8.00 m OD runs a foundation formed by selected rockfill.

The 9 reinforced concrete caissons, approximately 2.300 ton/caisson, will be prefabricated inside the Port of Gibraltar using a slipform system.

The construction of each caisson starts on the Floating Dock “Ignatios” and ends with the caisson in floatation.

After conclusion, caissons will be towed to the North Mole where they will be sunk on the rockfill foundation previously executed using floating equipments, namely a dredger with backoe and a pontoon.

The works will end with the execution of a top slab of in-sitú.

Below description of the main quantities of this project:

• Caissons: 9 units;
• Concrete: 9.000 m3;
• Steel rebars: 850 ton;
• Sliding formwork area: 34.650 m2;
• Dredging: 20.250 m3;
• Rockfill: 15.000 m3.

Major equipment involved:

• Floating Dock “Ignatios” 4.000 ton of capacity;
• Sliding formwork system;
• Tower crane 6 tons capacity, 50 m distance;
• Dredge w / backhoe;
• 2 Tugs;
• 1 Floating Pontoon (50 m x 15 m) w/ 1 crawler crane 100 ton;
• 1 Rough Terrain Crane, 70 ton capacity.