Port and coastal structures

Resilience of maritime infrastructure and coastal defences

This research line studies the behaviour of breakwaters, coastal defences and other maritime infrastructure under wave conditions associated with extreme events and sea-level variability.

The objective is not only to design these structures so that they can withstand such conditions, but also to understand how they evolve, when they begin to lose functionality or safety, and which maintenance, reinforcement or adaptation decisions need to be taken before damage becomes critical.

To this end, the research combines experimentation in wave flumes, numerical modelling, field data and analysis of risk and uncertainty.

Across the research line, the use of artificial intelligence validated through physical knowledge is explored in order to extract patterns from data and improve damage diagnosis and predictive maintenance.

The main contribution is to obtain useful decision-making criteria for port authorities, coastal administrations, engineering companies and other stakeholders involved in coastal management.

Areas of work

• Design and analysis of breakwaters, groynes, revetments and protection walls.
• Study of structural stability and hydromorphological impact.
• Assessment of risk, uncertainty and loss of functionality.
• Damage diagnosis and predictive maintenance using data and artificial intelligence.

Contact: Xavier Gironella

Methodological approach

This research line integrates physical modelling, numerical simulation and field observations to characterise the response of maritime infrastructure under extreme conditions. This approach makes it possible to move from the analysis of structural behaviour to the definition of practical criteria for decision-making.