An Italian Engineering Success After Tragedy Compiled by Editorial Staff, WorldWide Drilling Resource ® In one of the worst infrastructure failures in modern Italian history, the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, collapsed on August 14, 2018, during a heavy rainstorm. When it was erected in 1967, it was hailed for its innovative use of prestressed concrete and clean lines. After suffering from years of poor maintenance, the fallen 690-foot section of bridge claimed 43 lives, injured more than a dozen, and left hundreds homeless since it not only spanned the Polcevera River, it covered parts of the city. Now, less than two years after the tragedy, the Genoa San Giorgio Bridge has been constructed as a testament of a commitment to excellent teamwork and optimal management of the project, in part by RINA, who was the project management consultant. Being dubbed the “Genoa Model”, some say it is not replicable in other projects, but RINA President and CEO Ugo Salerno disagrees. “Rapid construction is not a question of skipping procedural steps or paying less attention, but rather of planning each and every activity in detail to overcome the inevitable unforeseen events and get immediate and effective responses from all those involved, in particular from the public authorities,” he said. RINA was in charge of the works supervision, quality assurance, and health and safety during both the demolition of the old Morandi Bridge and the construction of the new Genoa San Giorgio Bridge. The new project started when Genoa-born architect Renzo Piano donated his bridge design; then consulting/engineering discussions began in December 2018. Construction officially began on April 15, 2019. The design of the bridge has been termed as a “statement in its understatement” accentuating the beautiful valley between mountain and sea, and is environmentally friendly by including solar panels for energy, water treatment processes, and ongoing structural monitoring to ensure sustainability and safety. Numbers tell the story too. Over 220,000 hours of engineering work generated more than 3200 technical documents and review of over 1500 project sheets. As part of the 1000 workers employed, 80 RINA specialists were dedicated to managing the project, guiding the construction phases, timelines, budgets, and progress of work. The 3500-foot viaduct, which accommodates four lanes of traffic, was made with 24,000 tons of steel and metalwork and over 87,000 cubic yards of concrete. The 18 piles supporting the structure are each about 150 feet tall and formed with concrete and special additives, which allowed a shorter drying period. There were 20 work sites operating simultaneously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, without interruption, for almost two years, apart from Christmas Day in 2019. Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte inaugurated the new bridge on August 3, 2020. The importance of the bridge to the people of Genoa should not be underestimated, together with the memory of those who lost their lives during the collapse of the original bridge. Drilling Fundamentals by: Concrete Sawing and Drilling Assn Slab Saw & Core Drill 201 November 2-3 ~ Clearwater, FL phone: 727-577-5004 www.csda.org by: North American Society for Trenchless Technology New Installation Methods Good Practices Course Education Connection November 5-6 ~ VIRTUAL WEBINAR phone: 888-993-9935 www.nastt.org Groundwater / Water Well by: American Ground Water Trust New Mexico Groundwater November 4-5 ~ ONLINE WEBINAR Colorado Groundwater November 17-18 ~ ONLINE WEBINAR phone: 603-228-5444 www.agwt.org by: Princeton Groundwater, Inc. Remediation Course Nov. 30-Dec. 4 ~ ONLINE WEBINAR phone: 813-964-0800 www.princeton-groundwater.com Irrigation by: Rain Bird Academy Training November 2-6 ~ Denver, CO November 2-6 ~ Redmond, OR November 9-13 ~ Irwindale, CA November 16-20 ~ Boston, MA November 16-20 ~ Durham, NC phone: 800-498-1942 www.rainbirdservices.com More education opportunities during events can be found by clicking here online at: worldwidedrillingresource.com 8 OCTOBER 2020 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® C&G Dynamite was used to demolish the remains of the Morandi Bridge. The dust was controlled with a circuit of hydrants. The replacement bridge was built through precise teamwork, with no time wasted. Photos courtesy of RINA.
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