The Passage of the Tram and Irrigation System Deteriorate the Institutional Sculpture of the University of Alicante

The University of Alicante has called for business collaboration to raise funds for the restoration of its institutional sculpture, which is in an advanced state of corrosion.

The monument is located outside the university grounds, at the campus entrance via the road connecting San Vicente with Alicante.

The academic institution points out that lawn irrigation and vibrations from the passage of line 2 of the Alicante Tram have deteriorated the sculpture.

Therefore, the University of Alicante is working on finding business patrons for its restoration, projected in its infrastructure plan.

In this regard, the UA has announced the completion of repair works on reinforced concrete elements in various buildings on campus, such as Lecture Hall I, the Auditorium, the Faculty of Law, Philosophy and Letters, and the Shopping Centre.

This has corrected structural pathologies resulting from the passage of time, such as the corrosion of steel reinforcements and the loss of covering on pillars, beams, and other construction elements.

The reinforcement works on buildings and infrastructures on the University of Alicante campus have included 24 pillar starts in Lecture Hall I, the pergolas at the entrance to Social Club 1, and the two pergolas of the Faculty of Law.

These actions are joined by others applied to the ramp stairs of the Auditorium and the emergency stairs of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters I. Work has also been carried out on almost all of the 72 pillars and part of the beams of the Campus Shopping Centre.

In some areas, such as the pergolas of Social Club 1 and Law, protective meshes have been installed to prevent risks from possible detachments.

The Vice-Rector for Infrastructure, Sustainability, and Occupational Safety, Salvador Ivorra, stated that "this action was essential," as in some areas of the UA "we found a total loss of concrete covering, with the steel reinforcements completely exposed and corroded."

This "was a structurally unacceptable situation that could not be allowed," as most of the buildings on the University of Alicante campus were constructed several decades ago, so structural maintenance "ensures it remains safe and functional."