Special foundation construction

The Kersdorf lock close to Briesen in Mark Brandenburg was completely overhauled and extended. On 22 April 2010, the first pile was driven for this important building project which contributes to the adjustment of the Spree-Oder waterways to today's requirements of modern trans-European inland navigation. Using the sheet pile wall construction method, the northern lock chamber which was completed in 1904 is extended from currently 57 metres to 115 metres. 1900 tonnes of steel sheet piles, 500 tonnes of constructional steel for reinforcement, 1400 cubic metres of underwater concrete and 3000 anchor bolts are installed in the course of the building project.

Moreover, the ailing lock chamber walls needed to be dismantled and rebuilt with concrete for the complete renovation.  The lock gates, including their driving mechanism, were replaced. The control system of the lock installation, including the corresponding communication technology, is also modernised according to the state of the art. The upper lock basin is enlarged according the extended lock and receives a waiting area and coupling point for commercial navigation and a separate waiting area for recreational crafts.

For the duration of the renovation work for which a construction period of two years has been planned, the shipping traffic is guided through the southern chamber. After completion of the renovation work, it will also be possible for modern cargo vessels to pass through the lock without having to be decoupled before and without having to be reassembled afterwards. This saves time and makes the Oder-Spree-Canal as transport route interesting for the industry again. The Kersdorf lock is the most western descent structure for the so-called summit level of the Spree-Oder waterway.

The new railway route of Ebensfeld - Erfurt is a part of the transportation project called German unity - railway no. 8, route upgrade/new railway route of Nuremberg - Erfurt - Leipzig/Halle - Berlin. The route section of Lichtenfels is located to the south of Coburg. The department for special foundation construction was entrusted with the execution of the bored pile and foundation work.
The bored piles are, for the most part, strongly reinforced anchor piles for the permanent stabilisation of the steep, excavated slopes. Owing to the high reinforcement content of the piles, LENTON couplers were used for joining and installing the reinforcement cages. A total of approximately 3,360 tonnes of pile cages were installed.
Additionally, two tangent or contiguous bored pile walls were installed as foundation and invisible supporting structure of a gabion wall in the area of the steep wall cut.
Relieving wells along the route were designed for the drainage of the cutting areas during the earthworks. After completion of the construction work, the wells will be integrated into the permanent drainage of the route.

Building work to be performed:

3,270 m of bored piles were constructed, dia. 1,200 mm, length up to 24.0 m
16,720 m of bored piles were constructed, dia. 1,500 mm, length up to 27.5 m
3,350 m of relieving well, dia. 620 mm

The Technical University of Darmstadt (TUD) implemented the construction of a new university and regional library building at the city centre location of the TUD in Darmstadt. After completion of the preceding demolition work at the construction site, Bickhardt Bau AG was entrusted with the construction of the ready-to-use building pit. The department for special foundation construction implemented the building project in cooperation with the Rhine-Main branch. On the basis of the tender documents, the implementation planning of the building pit enclosure was drawn up and implemented.

The building pit lining was executed as intermittent bored pile wall with multiple tieback anchoring and shotcrete infill, and with fore poled trench shoring with wooden lagging used as infill material. The arch-shaped connecting ramp to the existing underground car park, which is located adjacent to the building pit, was reinforced with steel profiles. In order to ensure groundwater drainage, wells were constructed and operated. Additionally, relief bore holes provided with filter pipes were integrated in the water drainage concept for buoyancy control. After refilling the working areas with fill material and after dismantling the fore poled trench shoring installed before, the construction work was completed.

These work tasks were characterised by restricted space conditions at the construction site, resulting from the inner city location of the building project, between the old historic building of the TU Darmstadt, the existing canteen and the administration building.

Earthworks:

50,000 m³ of earth moving works

Special foundation construction:

ready-to-use building pit, depth of the building pit up to 15 metres,
2,900 m of bored piles; diameter 90 cm, constructed as an intermittent bored pile wall,
up to five times retained by tieback anchors, lengths of bored piles between 9 and 24 m
14,500 m of temporary strand anchors, length up to 28 m
530 m² of soldier pile wall (fore poled trench shoring)
2,700 m² of shotcrete infill
67 relief bore holes, depth up to approximately 31 m

Miscellaneous:                

29 wells, depth approximately 26 m, groundwater drainage

The 300-metre long support wall is located right next to the electrified, double-track main railway line 1760 of Hanover main station – Soest close to the Paderborn main station. The support structure secures the railway company premises located in a cut in the landscape. The main body of this structure was constructed as intermittent bored pile wall with head beams and shotcrete infill.

In the start and end section of the existing support wall, the new support wall was constructed as soldier pile wall with prefabricated panels of reinforced concrete used as infill panels. The concurrent demolition of the existing support wall, the excavation work and the construction of the new support wall were performed according to the so-called back-step method. After completion of the bored piles, the "old" support wall was dismantled step-by-step, the infill panels were built in and the bored pile drainage was constructed.

After constructing the structure and rail track drainage in accordance with the existing drainage capacity, and restoring the track system, the building project was handed over to the building principal in July 2009.

Building work to be performed:

600 m of cast-in-situ piles, diameter 90 cm
300 m of head beams made of reinforced concrete
700 m² of shotcrete