Soetaert
Vibroflotation
Calais

Port extension project

Compaction of deep soils!

 

The port of Calais, the biggest passenger port in Europe but one, was reaching its capacity limits.  For this reason, the existing capacity was substantially expanded: a/o with a 3-km dike, the creation of a harbour basin and new quays for the new-generation ferries. We were engaged here to improve the compaction of almost 2 million cubic metres of dredged sand using an innovative technique. This so-called vibroflotation technique improved the bearing capacity and resistance of the reclaimed land of 240,000 m². For four months, two caterpillar cranes simultaneously led two sets of two vibrating vibroflotation needles into the soil using water and air jets and were taken up again step by step.

Vibroflotation