Túnel do Bolhão

Inaugurated in 1914 at the beginning of World War I, the Mercado do Bolhão is located in Oporto’s bustling city center. The centennial market offers a wide range of fresh meats, fish, fruits and vegetables, sold by local farmers. The many authentic shops surrounding the market make the Bolhão market a must-see stop for tourists wanting to discover the real Porto.

In 2018, restoration work began on the market in an attempt to restore it to its former glory and give it a
much-needed update.

During the restoration, a new Bolhão Tunnel was built between Rua do Athenaeum Comercial do Porto and Rua de Alexandre Braga, passing under Rua Formosa. The new tunnel will give direct access to the underground logistics area of the Bolhão Market, allowing suppliers to load and unload goods and produce.

To isolate the busy tunnel from the market above and the surrounding shops, a combination of Stravibase SEB structural elastomeric bearings and Stravibase Raft, a resilient continuous support bearing system was designed and installed under the tunnel road.

The resilient bearings prevent the transmission of structure-borne noise and vibrations coming from car and truck traffic and achieve a natural frequency of 7 to 9 Hz.

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