Foundation and structural design of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Nearly 2,300 years ago, a great enterprise was conceived in Alexandria, the ancient Bibliotheca Alexandrina. At the beginning of the third millennium the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina has been built alongside the University of Alexandria overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The Library is planned as a public library. The design concept, the critical ground conditions and the aggressive saline environment, due to the proximity to the sea, required remarkable foundation and structural works. This paper presents the foundation and structural design of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The various elements of the library building are described and the structural design challenges are summarised. The sophisticated geotechnical and structural analyses that were carried out during the design stage are also described.