Single-sided formwork for Kachlet watergate

As the twin sluice of the Kachlet watergate on the Danube are being renovated, both sides of the middle wall between the two gates need a concrete shell, 70 to 90 cm thick. This called for a single-sided forming solution
to a height of 13.20 m – a tough challenge for the MEVA engineers, who solved it using the support frame STB 450 with extensions.

To pour the shell, the 230 m long middle wall is divided into 11 blocks of 22 m each. Work on the 11 blocks on the south side began in September 2013. After completion at the start of 2014, work on the northern blocks will begin in autumn of 2014.

Backed by the support frame STB 450, MEVA’s Mammut wall system with its load capacity of 97 kN/m² (2025 lbs/ ft²) proved ideal for the high pours. The STB 450 is extended on top with 150 cm units. The 13.20 m height is achieved with 6 extensions – another record for the STB 450. The site’s workflow is supported by two forming units of 290 m², each 22 m wide and 13.20 m high.

Anchoring and lattice girderensure stability
The support frames are stabilised with anchors into the existing middle wall of the watergate. This eliminated the need for additional propping on the support frame and extensions. The advantage is that the ground area is almost completely free for moving, storing and working. The support frame’s extensions are designed to function statically like a lattice girder. This, in turn, reduced the number of anchors required.

Site engineers delighted with result
After completing five blocks on the southern side, the construction site indicated its satisfaction. The contractor reaffirmed that the MEVA engineers won the job thanks to a convincing technical concept. MEVA had supported its tender with substantial static calculations to back up and support the contractor’s overall tender for the complex project.