This Coastal Defense Rehabilitation project was carried out between 2018 and 2019 in Valparaíso, Chile, with the aim of restoring and strengthening the coastal protection system of the Paseo Carrera, located between Edwards and Francia streets. The original infrastructure suffered severe damage from extreme wave events in August 2015, affecting approximately 450 linear meters.
Following detailed engineering studies and evaluation of alternatives, a sustainable solution was selected. It involved replacing the first and second rows of concrete blocks along the promenade and repurposing them -after being cut to size- as armor units for a new breakwater structure. These blocks, together with others from the reserve inventory of Empresa Portuaria Valparaíso (EPV), were reused along a 280 meter section of the new coastal defense. A total of 580 concrete blocks, each weighing between 35 and 45 tons, were reused-amounting to roughly 23,500 tons of recovered material. A pneumatic hammer system was employed to split the original blocks into smaller units (18–22 tons), tailored to meet the new structural and design requirements.
Beyond restoring the damaged infrastructure, the project significantly contributed to sustainable port development by preventing the disposal of massive concrete waste, reducing the demand for new materials, and lowering the project’s environmental footprint. As a result, the intervention enhanced the coastline’s resilience to extreme weather events, protected pedestrian safety, preserved urban infrastructure assets, and ensured continued functionality of the port’s logistical support zones.