Under the Call for Applications with code POSEUR-10-2015-29, intended for structural interventions to prevent landslides on slopes, was approved last Friday, February 26, the application which is intended to consolidate the works on Serra do Pilar. Vila Nova de Gaia Municipality was one of the potential beneficiaries of this Call for Applications under Axis II - Investment Priority "Promoting investments to deal with specific risks, ensuring resilience to disasters and developing disaster management systems" of PO SEUR - Operational Programme for Sustainability and Efficient Use of Resources, which also includes similar conditions to interventions in collapse risk areas in the cities of Setubal, Palmela and Santarém.

With a total cost of 4,045,006.72 euros and an Eligible Investment of 2,748,254.53 euros, the project will feature a co-financing from Cohesion Fund of 2,336,016.35 euros and consists of four actions: conducting geological studies (surface reconnaissance work), prospecting geotechnical work to inventory the zones of instability that must be corrected, implementation project with structural solutions necessary to guarantee stability of the areas that have been diagnosed problems with potential instability. Finally, the contract also includes works for the consolidation of Serra do Pilar scarp consisting of:

In the Scarp: cleaning and removal of loose material, placement of slope protection network system running nailing and anchors, dismantling of rocky material, construction/reconstruction of walls;

In the surroundings of Rua Cabo Simão: cleaning and removal of loose material, reconstruction of walls, run deep drainage and semiprofound systems, dismantling of rocky material, nailing execution, wall consolidation;

In Rua and Travessa Cabo Simão: earthworks, nailing execution, micropiles execution, execution wall, supporting structure construction of the road in a mixed structure, paving, drainage system, replacement of affected services.

The implementation of the four actions will solve the problem of instability that exists for many years in Serra do Pilar scarp, providing the necessary security in terms of structural stability in the territorial space that will be intervened to avoid the risk of side slip and to provide security conditions for emergency vehicles access to the foot of the Serra do Pilar scarp, in order to strengthen risks management and enable the Municipality in response to adversity.