Port Basin of Vado Ligure – Slope arrangement works along the access road to the Port of Vado Ligure (Project 711).

Project objective

The objective of the intervention is the expansion and upgrading of the existing intermodal terminal, with consequent redesign of the customs/security gate area and the related access road to the port, relocating it upslope through slope cut excavations. Ancillary activities included the lighting systems, resolution of interferences with utilities and with the culverting of the Rio Cappella, and management of the excavated material.

Main works

Cut excavations
The lower excavation relates to the actual expansion of the rail yard and extends along a front of approximately 550 m, with excavation widths varying up to about 30 m.
The upper excavation affects the slope area above the existing road and extends along a front of about 300 m. The new slope is stabilised by forming benched terraces with 4 m-wide berms and 10 m height differences, partially retained by reinforced hexagonal wire mesh with steel ropes and rock bolts; where not required, areas are planted with tree and shrub species and reinforced hydroseeding.

Road works
The access road to the port was rebuilt upslope relative to the current position, at the toe of the slope cut, and includes two lanes (one per travel direction) with shoulders, for a total width of 9.50 m.

Rail yard
The expansion of the rail yard, including construction of an additional track, was necessary to allow multi-level container stacking; therefore, a suitable bituminous pavement was designed.

Retaining works
In order to limit the upslope excavations, the construction of toe and cut-slope retaining walls is planned (stone-faced for landscape integration), with variable heights, preceded where necessary by anchored micropile shoring walls.