Categories

Harbour Engineering Transport Studies - Traffic Engineering - Traffic Safety Environmental Engineering

Port of Megisti Lavra Monastery - Northern Greece

The Megisti Lavra Monastery was established in 963 AD by Athanasios Athonitis who is the founder of Cenobitic Monasticism on Mount Athos, and it is considered to be the beginning of local Monasticism. Today, it is the most important as well as the biggest Monastery and its needs in goods and food are covered by underdeveloped port facilities in the east coastline where only small boats can berth. The upgrade of existing infrastructure was considered crucial and thus, in 2003, the authorities of Megisti Lavra Monastery assigned consultant engineer Albert Paul Yamin, the design of new works, in order to serve a small ferry, in the south of the existing ones.

During the design of the new jetty, the protection of local Byzantine wall was considered of particular importance. A wave disturbance study was required so as to determine the exact wave conditions in front of the wall, after the construction of the new works, using numerical simulation models.

The results of the study showed that the proposed demolition of rocks, which are located inside the basin, results in a slight increase of the wave height that impacts the Byzantine wall. The new windward breakwater offers a significant protection of the wall from the east waves which are particularly adverse, due to the fact that they impinge directly on it. On the other hand, the southeast waves enter the basin unobstructed because of the respective orientation of the gulf mouth. The waves are reflected on the breakwater and this increases the wave disturbance up to 0.40m without affecting the wall, as the southeast waves impinge angularly on it. In order to fully protect the Byzantine wall, the solution of a submerged detached breakwater was proposed so as to decrease the height of the incoming waves.

Study facts:

• Estimation of offshore wave characteristics using JONSEY model from Seaworks1 marine software suite
• Implementation of numerical model MIKE21 BW (1DH και 2DH) (Boussinesq wave model) from DHI Software for the calculation of the space-time wave distribution
• Examination of the impact in wave transmission of rock’s demolition inside the basin using MIKE21 BW 1DH. The model was implemented for three (3) sea bed profiles and for two (2) wave conditions (linear grid step of 0,4m, time step of 0,01 sec and duration of simulation 30 min)
• Examination of wave distribution in two dimensions, with and without the proposed works, using MIKE21 BW 2DH. The model was implemented for two wind directions, east and southeast and for a wave height of 1,20m (total grid area of 378x312m, space step 0,4x0,4m, time step 0,025 sec and duration of simulation 25 min)