More than 100 years after its construction and first operation, the barrage in Kibling has been successfully modernised during two construction phases. SSF Ingenieure, in joint venture with EDR GmbH, was responsible for structural engineering of the concrete structures during the conversion of the Saalachtal dam.
The barrage Kibling feeds water to the Saalach power plant in Bad Reichenhall, generating electricity for the railway company as well as the public utility company Bad Reichenhall. The modernisation project including the renewal of the dam upgrades the facility to the current state-of-the-art and improves floodwater protection.
The conversion comprised the replacement of the groundwater floodgate by a modern segment lock with top hatch. To securely absorb and distribute loads from the new dam locks, facing formworks were installed at all spans of the dam. Injections into existing dam components globally improved concrete quality. To guarantee overall stability of the barrage, the base slab was lengthened and anchored underwater by a bored pile wall.
Retrofitting of the floodgate entailed replacing the sliding gate by a steel rolling gate. At the same time, lock and threshold were lowered by three meters; this significantly increases the water outlet. The installation of an inflatable weir into the dam as well as the lowering of the fixed dam threshold also improve floodwater protection.
Project data:
Client: DB Energie GmbH
Engineering joint venture: SSF Ingenieure AG and EDR GmbH
Construction period: 2014 - 2017
Scope of services SSF: structural engineering of concrete structures
