MOSE: Salvare Venezia

Since 1900, the water levels in the Venetian Lagoon have risen almost 16 centimeters. In the same timeframe the city of Venice has gone from averaging 7 floods a year to over 100 in 2004 alone. It’s clear that in order for Venice to survive this problem a solution must be found. Fortunately, in 2003 MOSE (Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico), a network of floodgates constructed at each entrance to the lagoon that prevents flooding during high tides, finally began its long awaited construction, that today is in its final stages. When looking at MOSE from an engineering perspective, the mechanics behind the system are actually quite simple. However, considering the magnitude of the project, they are incredibly important to understand thoroughly and to analyze correctly. This project seeks to understand the mechanical system that is currently in place, analyzing it in such a way in order to explain the strength of the floodgates