Carlos Matias Ramos, former president of the National Laboratory of Civil Engineering, assesses the severity of the damage caused by recent storms.
Former president of LNEC warns of the risk to all "infrastructures in flooded areas or on highly saturated soil"
Sunday, 15 February 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
LNEC is Portugal's National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil), a state research and testing body founded in 1946 that provides studies, standards and technical advice on buildings, infrastructure, soils and coasts. Its reports and opinions are often used by public authorities, engineers and courts, so LNEC involvement matters for construction permits, flood assessments and geotechnical disputes.
Saturated soil is soil whose pore spaces are filled with water so it cannot absorb more, usually after heavy or prolonged rainfall or rising groundwater. Saturation lowers soil strength and increases the risk of flooding, landslides and foundation damage, so it is important for builders, homeowners and insurers when assessing site safety and drainage needs.
AI Summary AvailableEx-LNEC head warns infrastructure riskRead the synthesized summary with context and explainers
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