Harbor bed protection: Concrete mattresses solve hydrotechnical challenges 

ViaCon concrete mattresses deliver time savings and technical efficiency in providing safer and more efficient access to the harbour.

The Challenge

Bigger vessels needed to access the harbor and to be able to do so without tugboat support. It was also critical not to limit the sailing space with whatever solution was employed. 

The Solution

ViaCon Poland proposed the use of concrete mattresses as a solution. 

Concrete mattresses generally provide a cost-effective and easily deployable engineering solution for seabed and coast protection as well erosion control for slopes and ditches.  

Concrete mattresses are woven geotextiles, which are sewn and filled with concrete on the jobsite underwater with support from divers.  

The project saves the client time compared to a traditional solution with crushed stones layer, gabion mattress, sandbags, precast concrete elements, and so on. The mattress is not as thick compared to traditional solutions. 

The concrete mattress approach met the customer’s cost and design – as well as sustainability – requirements. 

To make the project possible, ViaCon provided a full, end-to-end solution, from design to technical advice to delivery and installation supervision.  

The ViaCon Advantage

The concrete mattress solution offers:  

    • No decrease in clearance box for vessels 
    • Installation in almost all weather conditions 
    • Constant and precise protection of seabed on the whole surface 

The complete solution helped the customer improve their efficiency – working with a single solution provider and contributed: 

    • Considerably lower cost compared to traditional solutions 
    • Much easier implementation compared to other technologies 
    • Significantly faster project completion with ViaCon design to assembly support 
       

With this concrete mattress project, ViaCon Poland continues to partner with customers to offer more economically and environmentally sustainable civil-engineering projects.