A tool for the design optimization and management of submarine outfall projects: application to a portuguese case-study

Abstract

The paper presents a risk assessment methodology for operational limit states of submarine outfall projects that considers: the intrinsic nature of the structure, the environmental legislative framework, the climate agents acting on the coastline and prediction of the plume long-term behavior near the coastline, together with the empirical orthogonal functions analysis. The probability of operational failure or stoppage is assessed enabling decision on project design alternatives.