“EL MAR DE CASTILLA Y LE’ON”, THE CABLE-CRANES (“BLONDINS”) AND OTHER EQUIPMENTS. A breif reminder of men and machines that made it possible.

(By Doctor Eng. Ferdinando Minoia)1 (2016-03-22 updated)

(Mi agradecimiento a la Diputación de Salamanca (Departamento Turismo) y a la Empresa "Iberdrola" (en el momento de la construcción "Iberduero").

1970. Map of the Hydroelectric System of the Lower Duero: 7 big dams for about 2.100.000 kW in total installed power: on the center, the big reservoir of Almendra Dam (in RED frame), powering the 810.000 kW of Villarino de Los Aíres Hydroelectric Plant. Significant is the the jagged shape of the reservoir edges, in plateaux with deep canyons usual. The dashed line shows the 15 kilometers long 8 meters diameter underground tunnel leading water to Villarino six big turbines. Asterisks indicate the Spain-Portugal border, which follows for a long stretch the Duero course (Douro in Portuguese). (From the article "PRESA DE ALMENDRA, El Projecto"-1967, by the Engineers Angel Galindez, P.Guinea, Gabino Guedan Gallar, and C. Duelo, granted to the colleague Ferdinando Minoia for Almendra Dam remembering).

1964. Almendra Dam Work layout across the Tormes River granitic canyon, near Almendra (From old drawings of CERETTI & TANFANI). (Two Radial Type 20 tons Blondins (Cable-Cranes), 935 meters span, 72 mm close type steel carrying cables, 200 meters high guyed fixed towers, 59 meters high specular-asymmetric mobile carts, running over a concrete viaduct 450 meters long/30 meters of track and four tetrahedron 12 tons Derricks LORO & PARISINI. (IBERDUERO, DEZEA and CERETTI & TANFANI courtesy).

1 Big Dams Cable-Cranes Design and Construction Department Engineer in Chief (CERETTI & TANFANI-Milano-during 1962-1977).

From the left:

(The pictures below have been granted to Eng. Ferdinando Minoia in 2013 by IBERDROLA and DEPUTACION DE SALAMANCA in 2013 as thanksgiving for his old collaboration):

1969. Rare Aerial picture of Dam and Blondins during final contruction. On the left, partially submerged, the twin fixed towers; on the bottom , the two mobile carts, running over the 450 meters long viaduct; the asymmetric shape of carts allow the coupling of two “blondins”2 for a total hook capacity of 40 tons (For heavy machinery handling).(IBERDROLA, former IBERDUERO courtesy). 1969. Rare Aerial picture of Dam and Blondins during final contruction; on the background, the viaduct on which run the two mobile carts of Blondin CERETTI & TANFANI, the higher pylon of wich, more than 60 m high, is already partially submerged; on bottom right, you can seethe PORO & PARISINI Derricks, the concrete mixing plant and the loading dock of the buckets, with legs partially submerged. (Courtesy of IBERDROLA, former IBERDUERO).

From the left:

1967. An aerial general view of Almendra Dam work site ready for concreting; on the right the fixed guyed twin towers 199 meters High; 935 meters far the mobile carts 59 m. on a concrete viaduct 450 m. long (with concrete pylons60 m. or more high) . On the left, the concrete mixing plant, at the center, the blondins buckets loading dock (the higher dock steel pylon reaches 50 m. height).(From the article "PRESA DE ALMENDRA, El Projecto"-1967, by Angel Galindez, P.Guinea, Gabino Guedan Gallar and C. Duelo, granted to the colleague Ferdinando Minoia after Almendra Dam inauguration). 1967.The fixed guyed twin towers ((h=78+112+9=199 m) articulated at 78 meters; the towers had no elevators, only stairs up to 180 m, then rung ladders: engineers competed to set the climb non-stop record: it was about 20 minutes! Initially, the reason of the mid articulation was twofold: (1) to make isostatic the towers, subject to head displacements of 2-4 meters; (2) to leave water immersed the part of 78 meters, but then it was also recovered. (CERETTI & TANFANI courtesy). 1967. At 833 above sea level!: spectacular view from the top of Blondin Fixed Tower “One”, during remote control cables inspection. (About 300 meters below, the excavation of the right shoulder of the dam and 150 meters below the loading dock for the concrete buckets). (Unpublished photo, taken by Eng. Ferdinando Minoia in 1967. MINOIA Archive courtesy).

2 The big cable-cranes are usually called “Blondin” from the name of Charles Blondin(1824-1897), the famous French acrobat, who in 1855 crossed several times the Niagara gorge walking on a tightrope.

From the left:

1967. Both specular asymmetric mobile carts with machines house on board, both placed on the extreme point of the reinforced concrete viaduct, just where the reinforced concrete pylons (Spanish design and construction) are more than 60 meters high). (Photo taken in 1967 by Eng. Ferdinando Minoia and used by CERETTI & TANFANI in its advertising papers. Minoia Archive). 1967. General view of the entire blondins plant, taken from mobile carts viaduct, with the two specular asymmetric carts coupled at minimum distance.(From a CERETTI & TANFANI advertising paper. C & T courtesy). 1967. The frontmultiple-wheels trains of one of two mobile cart: the vertical train transmits to a couple of carrying rails a vertical load of 5.000 kN (about 500 tons) and the horizontal train transmit to a simple rail a load of 2.600 kN (about 260 tons). The carts static stability was assured by an appropriate concrete counterweight, placed on each cart rear platform. The above big loads are transmitted from the cart head to multiple-wheel trains by means of a single steel pylon, slanted following the diection of resultant forces applied by the 72 mm carrying rope, the 33 mm hoisting and bucket trolley ropes ad the all of other auxiliary ropes, combined with the counterweight and the cart dead weights. A big box shaped steel plates welded “ jaw” distributes the load to wheel trains; the whole driving force (electric motors) was applied only in this point, so each of two “mammoth cart” was literally dragged by the “nose”! The comparison with the three persons statures (Eng. Coulomb, Eng. Bachmann and Eng. Minoia) shows the real dimensions. (MINOIA Archive picture, taken in 1967 by chief the assembler Mr. Minisini for Eng. Ferdinando Minoia and used also by CERETTI & TANFANI in its advertising papers ).

(A) (B)

(C) (D) From the top and from the left:

1964. A small collection of extracts from some old preliminary schematic CERETTI & TANFANI drawings (from operators manual), illustrating one of the mobile carts with winches on board: (A) vertical longitudinal view and vertical lateral view; (B) machines platform layout; (C) carrying driving wheel train views; (D) pushing front driving wheel train. (CERETTI & TANFANI courtesy).

Compressed Lateral bracing pylon with stairs

Tensioned

Machines house

Counterweight platform

1970. Dome (“boveda”) central section of Almendra Dam, 200 meters maximum high. (DEPUTACION DE SALAMANCA and IBERDROLA courtesy). 2013. Two aerial pictures of “El Mar de Castilla y Léon”, close the Almendra Dam (about 730 meters above sea level). The blondins mobile carts concrete viaduct, 450 meters long, visible on right side, is now used as “Viewpoint”. (DEPUTACION DE SALAMANCA courtesy). Almendra Dam powers the “FRANCIS” type six turbines-pumps of the Hydro-Electric Plant of Villarino de Los Aíres, for a total installed power of 810.000 kW (726.000 kW for water re-pumping); this big plant is situated underground, 460 meters below the Almendra Lake free surface, near Aldeadavila Dam; a 15 kilometers long, 8 meters diameter underground tunnel leads the water to Villarino six big turbines.

2013. Particulars of the the pink granite jagged shores of “El Mar de Castilla y Le’on”, very suitable for nice excursions by any type of small motor, sail and rowing boats. The lake level is kept fairly constant by re-pumping water from the spectacular Aldeadavila reservoir, 402 meters below . (Courtesy of IBERDROLA and DEPUTACION DE SALAMANCA).

2013. The tourist exploitation of “El Mar de Castilla y Le’on”3 (about 730 meters over sea level, about 37 kilometers long, from Fermoselle to Ledesma, near Salamanca: a little “Mediterranean” sea at 730 meters over the real one, in a vast region, the Spanish central plateau, in a country very similar to some Texan expanses, full of ranches and farms, within reach of the most ancient and beautiful cities of Castilla Y Le'on, full of Roman and Middle Age building and Celtic reminiscences (Salamanca, Burgos, Le’on, Segovia, Avila….), not far from the “Camino de Santiago de Compostela”, crossing Burgos and Le’on! (Courtesy of IBERDROLA and DEPUTACION DE SALAMANCA).

3 About from 40-45 a.c., the City of Le’on was the Roman Military Capital in Spain and the seat of the Roman VI Legio “Victrix”, hence the “name”, in Celtic “Lejion”; in fact, also in the modern leonese dialect “Le’on” is pronounced “Lejion”.

“LEST WE FORGET”.

THE COMPANIES AND MEN WHO CREATED THE ALMENDRA DAM AND “EL MAR DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN”- 1964-1971

The Dam was launched from 1967 to 1970) across the Tormes River canyon, near Almendra village, before the confluence with the Duero River, on the Portuguese borders.

The entire work, excavations for the underground powerhouse and dam shoulders, dam concreting and Hydroelectric Plants, was performed from 1964 to 1971.

(Edited by Eng. Ferdinando Minoia, following his memories and documents).

THE “DAM” COMPANIES AND PEOPLE IBERDUERO (now IBERDROLA, Dam and Hydroelectric Plant Committant): Eng. ANTONIO DE VEGA Y ZEA (General manager of Almendra Dam and Villarino De Los Aíres works, hydro-electric plants works and village). Eng. JOSÉ ORBEGOZO (“Hydro-electric Duero System” general conception); Eng. PEDRO MARTINEZ ARTOLA (”Hydro-electric Duero System”general conception); Eng. ANGEL GALINDEZ (Chief of “Departamento de Estudios y Proyectos” of Iberduero - Almendra Dam General design); Eng. P.GUINEA (Almendra Dam General design); DEZEA ( DRAGADOS-ENTRECANALES- ZSCHOKKE- ENTREPRESAS-ASSOCIADAS) (Dam and Hydrelectric plant construction): Eng. GABINO GUEDAN GALLAR (Entrecanales y Tavora–Madrid-responsible in chief for aggregate quarries, cement preparation, concrete mixing and all of works auxiliary plants and construction); Eng. C.DUELO (Dragados y Construcciones –Madrid, responsible in chief for dam excavations and concreting); Eng. HANS BACHMAN (Conrad Zschokke - Resident responsible in chief of general services, exploitation, machinery, assembly, technical department, control and certification, safety and administration); Eng. COULOMB (Conrad Zschokke - Eng. Bachman first assistant); Eng. MEYER (Conrad Zchokke - Topographer, terrain profiles and dam lay-out definition, blondins carrying and guy cable arrangement measurement and survey). EMESA-LA CORUÑA (Blondins Steel Structures Manufacturing under CERETTI & TANFANI supervision). TALLIERES DE SAN MIGUEL (Blondins Steel Structures Manufacturing under CERETTI & TANFANI supervision). ALL OF THE GITANOS WORKERS, exceptional “MONTADORES” of high structures, without them the 200 m high fixed towers have not been so quickly elevated, and the big steel carrying and guy cables have been not placed and tensioned, without any accident! ALL OF THE “CERETTI & TANFANI” BLONDINS AND “LORO&PARISINI” DERRICKS SPANISH OPERATORS, without them the 2.188.000 cubic meters (1.800.000 cubic meters of the dome portion by C&T Blondins) for dam concreting could not have been performed in three years only (1967-1970)! ALL OF ABOUT 3000 SPANISH, SWISS AND ITALIAN WORKERS, TECHNICIANS and ENGINEERS, which lived in the village and worked also for 16 hours a day on Almendra Canyon and Villarino De Los Aíres site from 1964 to 1971.

THE ITALIAN “BLONDINS” COMPANY AND PEOPLE. (The basic machines for Almendra dam concrete pose: 1.650.000 over 2.000.000 of cubic meters from 1967 to 1970)

CERETTI & TANFANI – MILANO. ITALY (Nr. 2 Blondins of 20 metric net tons - 935 meters span, 200 meters fixed towers, 59 meters mobile carts-General Plant, Structures and Machines Design, Machinery Construction, Erection, Tuning and Startup, Design and Construction of Steel Structures of the loading dock for buckets continuous alimentation): Eng. ATTILIO BIANCHI (C&T-Milano, Material Cableways department management). Eng. FERDINANDO MINOIA (C&T-Milano, Material Cableways Technical Departement engineer in chief, responsible in Milano and on field of Material Cableways and Cable-cranes “Blondins” general conception, Cables, Structural and Mechanical Calculations and Design, Startup, Testing, Commissioning and Official Delivery). Eng. FRANCO BELLATI (C&T-Milano, Electrical Department responsible); ASGEN-MILANO (Electrical machines and controls, C&T supplier): Eng. FABI (ASGEN-Milano, responsible in chief for on site of assembling and tuning of Blondins Electrical Machinery); Mr. ANTONELLI (ASGEN-Milano, Eng. Fabi technical assistant). CERETTI & TANFANI (Factory and Assembly departments in Milano-Italy): Mr. SCARABELLI (C&T-Milano, responsible in chief of workshop); Mr. BERNADOTTI (C&T-Milano, assembling department manager); Mr. GIUSEPPE PIROVANO (C&T-Milano, manufacturing supervisor at EMESA-La Coruña and TALLIERES DE SAN MIGUEL);

Mr. LEGNANI (C&T-Milano, Almendra Blondins towers assembling supervisor); Mr. LUONI (C &T-Milano, Almendra Blondins towers assembling supervisor); Mr. MINISINI (C&T-Milano, Almendra Blondins railway and mobile carts assembling supervisor); Mr. SPRINGOLO (C&T-Milano, Almendra Blondins assembler). CERETTI & TANFANI (Material ropeways technical department employees in Milano-Italy): Mr. FALSTAFF ALPINI (C&T-Milano, Eng. Minoia first assistant for blondins project and commissioning coordination); Mr. BERTOLOTTI (C&T-Milano, senior specialist of materials cableways); Mr. BANFI (C&T-Milano, Eng. Minoia first assistant for project developing and calculations); Mr. MEI (C&T-Milano, structural designer); Mr. DOTTI (C&T-Milano, mechanical designer); Mr. MARCO CONTI (C&T-Milano, mechanical designer); CERETTI & TANFANI (Person and Material ropeways department support employees in Milano-Italy): Miss MARGHERITA VESCO (C&T-Milano, French, English, German, Turkish, Russian interpreter in Material and Person ropeways Department); Mrs. WILMA RANZINI (C&T-Milano, senior secretary); Miss CARLA SUPERBI (C&T-Milano, French and English, correspondent and secretary; in 1970 she married the Eng. Ferdinando Minoia!).

“CONSOLIDATION, CONCRETE PLANTS AND AUXILIARY MACHINES AND SYSTEMS” COMPANIES.

ICOMA-MILANO-ITALY (9 cubic meters-hidraulically gravity actioned-concrete buckets for the Blondins). ICOMA-MILANO-ITALY (“Silosbusses” carousel from concrete mixing plant to loading dock for Blondins buckets continuos alimentation) LORO & PARISINI-MILANO-ITALY ( four Tetrahedron type Derricks Cranes for the concreting of the lateral part of the dam and relevant ridge spillways). CONSUL-PRESA-SPAIN (Automatical-Analytical Auscultation and Monitoring systems by inclinometers, extensometers, piezoelectric sensors).

THIS GREAT WORK REQUIRED MACHINERY BY ALL OVER THE INTERNATIONAL SPECIALIZED FIRMS. Here below, we remember some of them, we apologize if we have inadvertently missed someone :

INGERSOLL-RAND (Drilling equipment). ATLAS-COPCO (Jackhammers.) NORTHWEST, RUSTON-BUCYRUS, CAT (Excavators). CATERPILLAR (D8-H Bull-dozers). CONSONDA-MILANO-ITALY (Waterproofing deep screen and consolidation deep injections for dam shoulders). LE TOURNEAU-WESTINGHOUSE (HAULPAK 22.5 ton Dumpers). MACK (20 ton Heavy trucks). ALLIS-CHALMERS, LOCKERS, SYMONS, AEG (Aggregate Primary and Secondary mills, vibrating feeders, screeners). LORO & PARISINI-MILANO-ITALY (Tertiary mills B-512 Type). CIFA-MILANO – ITALY (Concreting MIxing Plants). LINDE IBERICA (Concrete Refrigeration Systems) We conclude this "Memorial" reporting here below what the engineer GABINO GUEDAN GALLAR wrote in the article "PRESA DE ALMENDRA", written in August 1967, together with engineers ANGEL GALINDEZ, P.GUINEA and C.DUELO: