4. Protecting bridge bearings with soil blocks

When it can be implemented, the solution of protecting bridge supports with soil blocks (artificial islands, etc.) is an effective and economical solution. The following developments are devoted to the problem of stopping a ship in a soil mass.

Several studies have been carried out on this subject, in connection with the Pont de Normandie project. Even if, at the time of these studies, the data on ship deformability as previously developed were not available, they are nevertheless of definite methodological interest. This is why we recall the main stages and the results that can be used.