Entwicklung eines innovativen Kammerquerschnitts für die neue Schleuse Dörverden

A novel chamber construction for the new lock in Dörverden

After almost five years of construction the new lock in Dörverden at the middle Weser was opened to the traffic at the end of 2013. Hereby, a novel chamber construction, consisting of a tied-back, secant bored pile wall with reinforced concrete facing and a subaqueous concrete floor tied back by tension piles was implemented for the first time in the range of the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration. The construction pit support system was inherited as a crucial bearing element for the final lock structure. The impermeability of the lock chamber is ensured through a reinforced concrete facing which also holds the lock equipment. The heads were planned as massive construction. A rotary segment gate with single-sided drive serves as closing element against headwaters. The lower gate is designed as a mitre gate in tiled slab style. The emptying of the chamber is carried out via short circulations of the lock gate.
The report discusses the marginal conditions, planning results and decisions as well as the usage requirements for a life expectancy of 100 years, which have led to the development of this novel chamber style, concerning bearing capacity, useability, construction and cost efficiency. Furthermore, the report presents starting points for future developments.