Research and Development
In its function as a technical and scientific federal authority the BAW undertakes waterways engineering R&D work in the fields of structural, geotechnical and hydraulic engineering in inland and coastal areas. The Department's applied and practice-oriented research is undertaken on behalf of state and federal authorities and is intended to support the performance of specialist waterways engineering tasks by bridging the gap between basic scientific research and issues on which practical decisions need to be taken.
Over a period of many years the Department of Structural Engineering has sustained a consistent research share of 15%, which is deemed necessary for the continuing development of methods and regulations. Ongoing developments enable the WSV and the BMVBS to make use of forward-looking project work in their own waterway construction work and to take decisions which anticipate the future technological state of the art. In particular the Department's R&D focuses on the BAW research topics "safety and protection", "innovative technologies" and "sustainability".
- Corrosion of sheet pile walls
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Corrosion of sheet pile walls - electrochemical determination of the corrosion properties of sheet pile walls in relation to real corrosion rate data from structures in different immersion mediums.
Project director: Ruppert, Johannes - restraint in thick, cracked concrete sections
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The viscoelastic behaviour of cracked reinforced concrete structures is not well known until today. But it is necessary to dimension the reinforcement for restraint in monolithic structures in a safe and economic way. The research project should help to get a better understanding of the behaviour.
Project director: Bödefeld, Jörg - Safety concept for existing hydraulic structures (SiBeWa)
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Existing hydraulic structures need an adapted partial safety concept so as to proof the structural safety on the basis of the experiences gained during maintenance and Operation.
Project director: Kunz, Claus - Corrosion protection of steel in concrete - research on cathodic corrosion protection plant of the bridge B 500 over the river Rhine near Iffezheim
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Due to the small dimensions of the hollow girders conventional repair of the chloride contaminated concrete was inopportune. For this reason a cathodic protection (CP) installation with discrete anodes (see figure) was carried out. The function of the installation under different conditions will be controlled and evaluated.
Project director: Binder Dr., Günter - Assessment of the alkali sensitivity of aggregates
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With the previously available tests alkali-sensitive aggregates not always recognized, so it came to concrete damage due to alkali-silica reaction (ASR). Therefore it should be to investigate and develop different test methods with a view to specific conditions for hydraulic structures.
Project director: Reschke Dr., T. - Fatigue design of fully sealed ropes
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Ropes in bridge constructions are subject to alternating stresses originating from traffic and wind. The variability of the normal force is superimposed with a cyclic bending load in the area of the rope socket resulting from angle of rotation. The fatigue properties under this stress are investigated.
Project director: Ehmann, Rainer - Concrete for hydraulic strucutres under hydroabrasive exposure
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This R and D project aims to record the impact of hydroabrasion on concrete member and to generate a descriptive classification system. Appropriate concrete technology requirements must be elaborated - including using suitable testing procedures - in order to guarantee sufficient resistance.
Project director: Spörel, Frank - Masonry in hydraulic constructions
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An assessment report on the impact on, and the durability of masonry in waterways engineering structures, on existing national and international standards and on potential repair procedures will be used to review the need for modifications to existing waterways engineering regulations.
Project director: Müller, Hilmar - Strengthening of the movement joints of solid waterways engineering structures
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The strengthening of leaky areas around movement joints is already an important concern for the WSV. Bearing in mind the probable increase in the number of damaged joints, it is important to develop a range of repair procedures which are appropriate in different conditions.
Project director: Maisner, Matthias - Use of acrylic gels and gel-like products for repair work on solid waterways engineering structures
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The use of acrylic gels for injection into cracks and hollow spaces is examined and the environmental compatibility and corrosion risk for the reinforcement and other metal fitted parts is evaluated, particularly with regard to the durability of products.
Project director: Maisner, Matthias - Measurement method for hydration heat
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The test series examines cements and concretes using a variety of measurement techniques to determine hydration heat. The aim is to determine a procedure for realistically estimating the adiabatic temperature changes of concrete used in massive structural elements.
Project director: Spörel, Frank - Feasibility study on the use of lock gates made of fibre reinforced composites
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The feasibility study examined the option of using an economic, scalable standardized design for locks on side waterways which is resistant to corrosion and which, owing to its low weight, does not place extra stresses on existing older solid structures.
Project director: Enders, Uwe - Concretes for the solid structural elements of waterway structures
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The project examines the reliability of a (currently) nonconforming reduction in the cement content of concrete for massive structural elements. The aim is to reduce the hydration heat of the concrete and the resulting restraints while simultaneously guaranteeing durability.
Project director: Spörel, Frank - Revision of the turbulence testing method for geosynthetics
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The turbulence test methods described in the guideline for the testing of geotextiles in waterways engineering determine the soil passing through a geotextile filter following a pulsing stress caused by a propeller. The test method is currently being revised for the standardisation work.
Project director: Maisner, Matthias - Corrosion protection according to Sheet 87 of the TL/TP-KOR German steel construction standard - Studies of intermediate coating and colour stability problems
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Contractors usually only give structural components for bridges an intermediate coat. The conditions in which structures are then left and used until the final (coloured) coat is given can lead to bonding and colour stability problems.
Project director: Binder Dr., Günter - Determining the forces acting during anchor drop on crossing structures
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Crossing structures under waterways may need to be measured for anchor drops and other influences. In-situ studies were carried out to determine true anchor velocities. A computational approach is currently being developed which will enable the impact of dropped anchors to be determined in relation to anchor size.
Project director: Becker, Holger - Durability measurement of waterway structures
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The BAW supports university-based research projects with the aim of developing measurement concepts which take special account of specific hydraulic engineering exposure (such as freeze-thaw and freeze-thaw de-icing salt attacks, hydroabrasion, attack by chloride). This is intended to provide a realistic evaluation of the service life.
Project director: Reschke Dr., T. - Textile reinforced facing formwork for repair of concrete components
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![Laboratory examinations of composite specimens to assess the crack bridging capabilities of air-blown mortar with textile reinforcement [ibac]](http://www.baw.de/dm/EWisA/FuEVorhaben/Bilder/103018457.jpg)
The first step of the study is to identify the potential of textile reinforcement for repairing concrete structures. Combinations of textile reinforcements and gun mortar are then selected on this basis and their appropriateness for thin-surface concrete repair measures is then examined for waterway constructions.
Project director: Westendarp, A. - Injections into facing formwork
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Laboratory examinations and sample injections in a lock construction are used to determine the appropriateness of selected injection procedures and materials for the reliable filling of voids and hollow areas in the transitional area between masonry facing formwork and the underlying core concrete.
Project director: Müller, Hilmar - Development of a maintenance management system for the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration (EMS-WSV)
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Based on the results of structural inspections the idea is to forecast the future condition of structures and to prioritise repair work. The objective is to develop an optimum repair and maintenance strategy for WSV structures.
Project director: Bödefeld, Jörg - Adiabatic heat measurements on selected concrete formulations
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Comparative studies of large format concrete cubes are used to calibrate the BAW's quasi adiabatic concrete calorimeters. These calorimeters are systematically deployed for inspection tests on the concrete used in new WSV structures.
Project director: Müller, Hilmar - Repair systems for old waterway structures
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The project examines the appropriateness of specially developed repair systems for specific hydraulic engineering applications (fast hardening materials for repair during operation, thin in-situ or sprayed concrete shell on relatively soft subsurfaces).
Project director: Reschke Dr., T. - Influence of concrete formwork and posttreatment on the durability of concrete shell surfaces
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Large format specimens with lateral sides which have been cured in various ways are examined to determine how different types and durations of curing impact the concrete properties of massive concrete members which are relevant to durability.
Project director: Spörel, Frank - Hawser force on inland navigation locks
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DIN 19703 contents load assumptions for bollards of new locks to be built. The magnitude of this loads often implicates problems for existing locks. Furthermore the loads cannot be valid for bollards of smaller locks. Within the R&D work will be compiled assumptions for hawser forces which are realistic to a large extent, sufficient safe and which also consider aspects of economic viability.
Project director: Meinhold, Wilfried - Classification of the typical structural details of steel hydraulic engineering structures
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Hydraulic steel structures (gates and valves) have a variety of different welded structural details which to date are not covered by the available regulations or which cannot be clearly classified. Two of these typical hydraulic steel structures have therefore been studied numerically and in vibration tests.
Project director: Meinhold, Wilfried - Frost resistance of cement-bound materials
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The degree of saturation of the concrete is the key variable, in addition to temperature stresses, for the intensity of freeze-thaw exposure. The magnitude of the degree of saturation arising under the practical conditions is studied in construction and laboratory examinations.
Project director: Westendarp, A.
