Fugro N : performs Monaco’s first O-cell pile tests for L’Anse du Portier eco-project

Fugro supported the foundation design phase by performing three Osterberg cell (O-cell) pile tests, a first in Monaco, to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the new site's substrata resistance, on which a 'forest' of more than 1000 piles will be installed.

L'Anse du Portier is a land extension of Monaco's existing coastline and will create a new 6-hectare eco-district around the Grimaldi Forum exhibition centre. The complex onsite geology requires foundation piles with a diameter of up to 1.8 m and 60 m long to reach solid ground. To verify the pile design, Fugro utilised the O-cell method as the best option for the land extension's geology and configuration, and the demanding project schedule. The average friction test result was around 30 % higher than the friction value considered during the initial design phase, which will enable Sogefon/Fondamenta to optimise their pile design for construction and achieve significant cost savings.

Leonardo Pedrazzi, deputy administrator of Sogefon, said: 'Fugro's O-cell test results provided vital parameters that allowed us to fully characterise the geotechnical conditions of the site's three foundation zones. The Geo-data acquired have optimised our pile design ready for the installation phase.'

Michel Maron, geotechnical engineer for Fugro, said: 'Interpretation of the three test piles clearly demonstrated the value of O-cell testing and enabled Sogefon/Fondamenta to correlate results from the friction and tip resistance tests performed onsite for much more accurate ground insights.'