The ‘Garda Lake Project’ goes on. Survey work for Acque Bresciane srl carried out with the ROV Falcon Seaeye. Underwater operations are continuing successfully. Divers are performing NDT (Non Destructive Testing) measurements with the Cygnus Dive ultrasonic thickness gauge. For the maintenance of the pipelines, Drafinsub is using the ‘Raffaella Saturation System’.
The repair of the pipeline is finished, at least for now. The deepest dive was at 188m. In these days the last dives between 50 m and 70 m will be made. The maintained pipelines cross Lake Garda from Toscolano Maderno (Brescia) to Torri del Benaco (Verona). The pipes are more than 7.4 km long. The characteristics of the lake water favor the proliferation of some organisms, which grow more on the external surfaces of the pipeline. Among these organisms there are bacteria that form concretions and pits. These can, in the long run, lead to the perforation of the artifact. The pipes are made of steel. In the most deteriorated points, clamps were applied. In the other points, after measuring the thickness of the pipes, epoxy resins were applied to the surface. As in the previous work in 2019, samples of the concretions were collected. These will be analyzed in the laboratories of the University of Brescia. Two years ago, 122 points on the pipeline had been repaired. The areas of intervention have increased this year. Demobilization of the floating yard will begin shortly.
