Research and Development
The Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute (BAW) is the central technical and scientific governmental agency for research and development into the federal waterways that covers the areas of structural engineering, geotechnical engineering and waterways engineering in inland and coastal areas. Applied practical research carried out in the individual sections acts as an active interface between pure scientific research and practical application, providing decision-making support to ensure appropriate fulfilment of specific tasks related to waterways engineering.
Research into geotechnical engineering for the Water Engineering section encompasses the load-bearing and deformation behaviour of the ground, the flow behaviour of the groundwater in the ground and at the threshold to free surface water, as well as the reciprocal effect of ground, water and building structure. The work is carried out using laboratory and field test techniques with specific on-going development where appropriate, together with investigations on models and in-situ measurements; databases are used where relevant or new ones devised as required, and numerical procedures are tested, used and extended.
- Sand settlement under vibration load
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Investigations of soils subject to vibration loads. Development of an empirical model for forecasting displacements of structures in the vicinity of construction work that causes intensive vibrations.
Project director: Zerrenthin Dr., U. - Statistical evaluation of vibration emissions
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The objective is to specify in detail the tool of vibration forecasting. The results of vibration investigations gathered in BAW are processed with subsequent statistical evaluation depending on energy input, distance to the vibration source, soil properties etc. in order to obtain corresponding characteristics.
Project director: Zierach, Rahula - Status development of revetments related to lowering of technical standards
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The technical standard of the inland waterways in Germany could be reduced in order to improe the operability of large vessels in the waterways network. In the R&D project the long time behaviour of revetments under the reduced technical standard is investigated, considering technical and economical aspects.
Project director: Kayser Dr., Jan - Erosion of mineral sealings and cohesive soils under current load
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In the foreground are laboratory investigations of the erosion stability and the decay resistance of materials used for mineral sealings (clay or other cohesive soils). Therefore, the existing methods (decay-test and pin-hole-test) will be examined on their applicability and reproducibility. It might be possible, that new testing-methods must be developed.
Project director: Schneider, Achim - Technical-biological Bank Protection - Theory and Model Tests of the Resilience
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Investigations considering the mechanics and resilience of technical-biological bank protection are carried out with special regards to ship-induced hydraulic loads. Together with the results of the research project "Technical-biological Bank Protection” design rules will be developed.
Project director: Eisenmann, J. - Alternating load acting on small injection piles
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Anchorage systems are often subject to cyclical load. So far, dimensioning approaches for small injection piles only exist for non-cohesive soils above the groundwater level. This project aims at gathering first data on the influence of alternating load on the load-bearing capacity of small injection piles in cohesive soils.
Project director: Dornecker, Eva - Determination of dike-resistance
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The resistance of dikes against hydraulic effects is governed in particular by the state of the dike cover, e.g. by soil quality, water content, structure. All influencing factors are considered in a numerical model, to enable the integral evaluation of dikes.
Project director: Pohl Dr., Martin - Hydraulic interactions between surface water and groundwater
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The Prediction of the impacts of anthropogenic or natural changes in river discharge regime on groundwater dynamics requires a thorough understanding of the exchange processes between groundwater and surface water. Field observations following an embankment relo-cation promise a concise insight into these processes.
Project director: Montenegro Dr., H. - Hydraulic heave at structures with seepage underflow and downstream filters
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The research project aims to produce a suitable method for verifying the safety against hydraulic heave at walls with seepage underflow and filters at the downstream side of the wall. This entails both numerical flow and soil mechanical calculations as well as model experiments.
Project director: Laursen, Charlotte - Rip-rap analysis with the distinct element method (DEM)
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Rip-rap analysis with the distinct element method (DEM) - Numerical methods are used to examine the behaviour of rip-rap in tidal areas, so that local boundary conditions are taken into account for the design.
Project director: Pohl Dr., Martin - Formation of seal connections along waterways
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Proposals are elaborated for designing the point at which seals along stretches of waterways are connected to building structures, which is a potential weak spot.
Project director: Kayser Dr., Jan - Technical biological bank protection: quantification of the load rating and feasibility of application
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BAW and BfG work together to draw up the general principles and recommendations for the use of technical biological bank protection.
Project director: Fleischer, Petra - Numerical modelling of failure processes in the ground
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The aim of the project is to obtain mesh-independent numerical models for onset and propagation of shear bands in the ground, taking account of soil softening.
Project director: Stelzer, Oliver - Consolidation behaviour of dredged material
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Measurements are taken to ascertain the consolidation behaviour of dredged material (sludge), which is then implemented in a numerical program for other boundary conditions.
Project director: Pohl Dr., Martin - Design of geotechnical filters under transient load
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The gaseous content of groundwater causes transient loads in the filter with hydraulic gradients; corresponding filter criteria need to be developed here.
Project director: Eisenmann, J. - Modelling the deformation of non-cohesive soils under the cyclic load impact of lock structures
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Cyclic load causes a considerable accumulation of plastic deformation in non-cohesive soils which can cause damage to building structures
Project director: Herten Dr., Markus - Infiltration dynamics in the ground and earthen structures
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The calculation of infiltration processes in unsaturated subsoils is extremely complex when earthen materials of contrasting texture are involved or when the influence of air inclusions during rapid boundary condition changes is to be considered. Recent approaches for calculating the infiltration dynamics in these cases are investigated.
Project director: Montenegro Dr., H. - Assessing corroded steel sheet walls in waterways engineering
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In order to assess stability and serviceability of sheet pile walls, evaluations of sheet pile thickness measurements undergo further development and alternative methods are tested
Project director: Heeling, Anne - Soils under impact load
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Calculation methods are developed for forecasting braking distance and contact forces, based on investigations of how barges penetrate into embankments.
Project director: Kauther, Regina - Groundwater- and Heat Transport Modeling
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The research project serves for testing numerical methods and software. The purpose is the elaboration of guidelines for appropriate numerical modeling of complex flow and heat transport processes in groundwater (e.g. three-dimensional, transient, saturated-unsaturated modeling).
Project director: Odenwald Dr., B. - Review of existing rip-rap structures
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Practical experience with existing rip-rap structures is gathered and evaluated for further optimisation of the design criteria for rip-rap structures.
Project director: Fleischer, Petra - Failure and deformation behaviour of slopes susceptible to sliding, taking into account the three-phase system
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By taking account of natural gas inclusions in pore-water, the transient distribution of pore-water can be accessed. In-situ measurements in clay show that transient pore-water pressure can influence slope failure behaviour (ground deformation, change in air pressure, evaporation, precipitation).
Project director: Schulze, Roland - Hydraulic heave in cohesive soils
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The research project aims to develop a suitable method for verifying the safety against hydraulic heave in cohesive soils. This entails investigations into the principle failure mechanisms together with numerical and analytical computations as well as model experiments.
Project director: Laursen, Charlotte - Parameters of soil models for FE calculations
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The soil models used in simulations in finite element calculations need a number of parameters that should be derivable as far as possible from laboratory and field tests.
Project director: Herten Dr., Markus
