El sistema constructivo empleado para la cimentación por pilotaje en las obras portuarias mediterráneas del siglo XVIII. El Real Arsenal de Cartagena

Abstract

[EN] The building works which presented the greatest technical and human challenge among all of those carried out during the construction of the Arsenal of Cartagena in 18th century are those of the quay surrounding the artificial dock. What is most complex and interesting about the construction of this structural element is, among other things, the depth at which cement was to be laid under the sea, the nature of the ground and the relief of the location. The structural solution for resolving this challenge evolved over the course of almost a century, as building knowledge, the skills of the head engineers and knowledge of the surrounding area increased. Several systems were proposed for laying the cement, all of which deserve particular attention. This article is based on the analysis of different historical dossiers found in the Simancas General Archive (Valladolid, Spain), containing manuscripts written by the architects responsible for the building work.