The Diagnosis of Maritime Structures, a Management Support Tool: Case of the Sèmè-Podji Wharf in the Republic of Benin

Abstract

Port structures constitute the main link in the maritime transport chain of coastal countries and therefore contribute to their economic development. But it should be noted that the installation of said works is not without consequences for the countries concerned. Benin, a country in the Gulf of Guinea, is no exception to this phenomenon because, due to its maritime history, it has a heritage of port structures. These structures, built on its coastline, cause a wide variety of environmental problems such as silting and erosion on either side of them. The general objective of this article is to contribute to the proper functionality of port facilities while minimizing environmental problems that may arise. It aims to provide managers with a tool allowing them to fully understand the state of their assets in order to rationalize maintenance actions. In order to achieve this objective, an assessment of the state of the structure, and then a structural diagnosis are necessary and recommendations can be established to restore the level of service of the latter. As a result, two examples were presented: the wharf of the Sèmè-Podji pipeline project and the maritime piles project of the Wasco de Gama bridge (control project), and recommendations adapted to this objective were established. The comparative analysis of the two examples, both maritime works, revealed an under-sizing at the level of the spans of the wharf bridge of the Sèmè-Podji pipeline project (spans of 7 m in length), while these spans vary on average by 45 m to 62 m for the Wasco da Gama bridge. Bringing the piles closer together at the Sèmè-Podji wharf reduces the energy of the current which promotes the accumulation of sediment. The structure no longer experiences a flow capable of setting in motion the sands accumulated since at least 2022. This element appears to be a fundamental characteristic explaining the erosion observed to the east of the structure.