Sluice in Dörverden: STB support Frames

The MEVA support frames are mainly – but not only – used to support single-sided wall formwork when, for example, pouring against an existing structure. It was near Bremen in Northern Germany where an old ship sluice had to be replaced by a new one with armoured concrete walls 11.70 m high. Single-sided pouring, large-size panel gangs of more than 180 m² and the required dimensional accuracy asked for a very robust, stable and powerful support construction when pouring the sluice walls against soil.

The old sluice was over 100 years old and due to its age could no longer be upgraded and made fit for today’s shipping requirements. Hence it was replaced by a new sluice that has one chamber that is 201 m long and 12.50 m wide. Its usable length is 139 m. Drilled piles were placed next to the soil and anchored to it. Then a 10 cm thick concrete layer was shot onto the piles. In a third step and using MEVA equipment, a 40 cm thick armoured concrete layer was poured next to the shot concrete layer. Largesize wall formwork panel gangs that were 11.75 m high and 15.50 m wide were used to pour the walls in 18 cycles and without leaving any horizontal joints.

Robust and accurate
Twelve support frames STB 450 were used to support the single-sided Mammut wall formwork. The STB 450 is 4.5 m high. Each STB 450 was height-extended to 10.50 m using four height extensions of 1.5 m each. The height extensions have a lattice design which makes them very robust. MEVA Triplex props were anchored to the ground and attached to the STB height extensions to transfer the loads and give the entire support frame construction maximum stability.