Original name
Salto de Salime [Salime Dam]
Other denominations
Central Eléctrica de Salime
Original use
Industry/power plant, Infrastrcuture/dam
Current use
Industry/power plant, Infrastrcuture/dam
Architects
Joaquín Vaquero Palacios
Artists
Joaquín Vaquero Palacios, J. Vaquero Turcios (painters), Joaquín Vaquero Palacios (sculptor)
Engineers
Ingenieros de Hidroeléctrica
Concrete by reinforcement
Therefore, it performs well in compression, but its ability to withstand tensile stresses will be very limited.
Concrete is a relatively brittle material that is strong in compression but less so in tension.
To increase its overall strength, steel rods, wires, mesh or cables may be embedded in concrete before it sets. This reinforcement, often known as rebar, resists tensile forces. By forming a strong bond, the two materials are able to resist a variety of applied forces, effectively acting as a single structural element .
Construction method
In this case, the concrete can be made by mixing the components directly on site, or it may be transported from a production plant in concrete-mixer trucks.
This method has the disadvantage of leaving the concrete exposed to the elements while it is setting. Whereas, with other methods, the environmental conditions can be controlled during setting, providing greater control over the outcome, with cast-in-place concrete a series of tests and protocols are necessary to verify its final strength.
Architectural concrete
- textured walls
- wooden formwork finish
- stamped concrete
- exposed aggregate concrete, colored concrete, etc.
Structural types
Mass concrete structures include large slabs and foundation elements, dams, and other concrete structures in which the minimum dimension is larger than three meters.
State of Conservation
Description
The dam and hydroelectric power station in Grandas de Salime, on the Navia River, brought together the work of engineers, architects and artists in a unique piece of Spain’s post-war industrial legacy. Construction began in 1945 and, by the end, the dam was the second largest in Europe, with a 400-meter radius and a height of 128 meters. The engineer Enrique Becerril collaborated on the design with the architect Joaquín Vaquero Palacios and the artist Joaquín Vaquero Turcios, who handled the architectural part of the project and its artistic dimension. The dam was built in a remote location that was difficult to access, which meant that specific access infrastructures had to be constructed, along with towns to house the workers.
The contributions made by Vaquero Palacios were not limited to the works of art that decorate both interiors and exteriors (spectacular murals, sculptures and bas-reliefs). They can also be experienced in architectural elements such as the five overlooks at the top of the dam’s buttresses or the cantilevered balcony that houses the control room. The forms of these elements, built in concrete, are highly expressive, with a certain futuristic air. Vaquero Palacios’ son, Joaquín Vaquero Turcios, participated in the ornamental design and the interior design. He also devised the lookout point on the opposite side of the river, called the “whale’s mouth overlook” due to its suggestive reinforced concrete section.
The dam was opened in 1955 and was restored by Turquero Vaquero himself in 2003, returning this impressive ensemble to its original splendor.
Spain
Navia River, 7 Km from Grandas de Salime
Asturias 33885 Grandas de Salime
Commission
1945
Completion
1956