In one of AUMA’s most prestigious flood defence projects, and the largest order to date for its Generation .2 product series, almost a thousand modular electric actuators are being installed in a major scheme to protect the Venetian Lagoon in Italy.
The high technology structure, known as Mose, is in an advanced stage of implementation. Forming part of a major plan for the physical and environmental restoration of Venice’s entire Lagoon basin, Mose links the defence of the City with the architectural heritage of historic buildings and the Lagoon’s ecosystem.
Protection from high waters, and recovery of the Lagoon’s resources, are incorporated into the scheme.

The measures to safeguard the Lagoon are being implemented as part of an integrated and systemic programme by the Consorzio Venezia Nuova, on behalf of the Italian State (Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport - Venice Water Authority). Mobile barriers are being constructed to defend the Lagoon area, its inhabitants, towns, cities and historic/ artistic/environmental heritage from high waters: as a result of changes in the inter-relationship between water and land in the Lagoon, rising water levels have become more intense and frequent over recent decades.

To protect the Lagoon’s three inlets, 78 flood barrier gates with steel panels 20m wide and up to 28m long are secured to concrete foundations on the sea bed in four rows. Filled with water under normal conditions, the gates lie flat on the sea bed. If a tide of more than 1.1m is predicted, compressed air triggers the gates to rise in sequence to produce an artificial dam.

AUMA actuators were chosen by ITALVALV to aid automation of the dam’s barrier gates. The Italian valve designer and manufacturer selected AUMA’s Generation .2 AUMATIC actuators: the actuation technology was integrated by ITALVAV into its emergency system which operates high performance control ball, butterfly and globe valves, required for on-off and modulating services.