MIT has proposed a new technology that can help Venice City from sinking
again. Venice, historic city of canals and gondoliers, is planning to defend
itself in the 21st century by building massive, swinging gates.
The idea
may conjure images of medieval drawbridges,
but these high-tech gates won't protect citizens from foreign invaders.
Instead,
they've been designed to keep the sea at bay. These gates, will rest on
the sea floor and swing upwards in
response to rising tides. The
project is a series of 79 gates; each about 30 meters high, 20 meters wide and 4
to 5 meters thick, that
are to be installed around Venice City. When a tide of 1.4 meters or higher is
predicted, the gates will fill with air and rise, creating
a barrier to the seawater. The time needed to open the entire line of gates is
30 minutes, and 15 minutes to close it.
Critics fear the gates will prevent water exchange between
the lagoon and the Adriatic Sea, which could damage the lagoon's ecosystem. But
the research shows there won't be any effect. If this system is effective, it can
be used in cities like New Orleans, to prevent it from flooding, saving
thousands of lives and billions of dollars of property.
ea
may conjure images of medieval drawbridges,
but these high-tech gates won't protect citizens from foreign invaders.
Instead,
they've been designed to keep the sea at bay. These gates, will rest on
the sea floor and swing upwards in
response to rising tides. The
project is a series of 79 gates; each about 30 meters high, 20 meters wide and 4
to 5 meters thick, that
are to be installed around Venice City. When a tide of 1.4 meters or higher is
predicted, the gates will fill with air and rise, creating
a barrier to the seawater. The time needed to open the entire line of gates is
30 minutes, and 15 minutes to close it.