Platform on civil engineering, underground infrastructure, energy, construction equipment & construction machinery
The Krammersluizen complex is not only in need of a technical upgrade; the concrete structure is also being carefully overhauled and repaired where necessary. For this specialized repair work, BE Inject, a division of Franki Grondtechnieken, was invited to submit a bid. Within the limited construction windows, the company is working on dozens of repair sites, ranging from minor damage to multiple cracks.
The various types of concrete damage were discovered during inspection work, says Nico Heiligers, operations manager at BE Inject. “According to the applicable BRL guidelines, such damage must first be carefully examined and addressed. This involves identifying damaged concrete—or removing it if necessary—and determining how deep the damage extends. Only then can the actual repair take place.”
At the Krammersluizen, BE Inject was assigned approximately fifty locations. The extent of the damage varies greatly: from minor damage measuring just a few centimeters to multiple cracks that need to be injected. “Each instance of damage requires its own approach,” says Nico. “It always starts with completely exposing the area down to the sound concrete. Then we apply a protective coating to the rebar and repair the surface with special primers and repair mortars.”
According to Nico, the biggest challenge lies not so much in applying the mortar, but in the preparation, the quality of the bond, and the post-treatment. “Only when these steps are carried out perfectly will the repair be permanent, and only then can we guarantee the same long service life as the original concrete.”
BE Inject is carrying out concrete repairs on various parts of the complex, including the lock chambers. “We can’t start that work until the chamber has been completely pumped dry,” Nico notes. “Next, scaffolding will be erected and the walls will be cleaned. The time allocated to us must therefore fit within the schedule of all other work being carried out by the ZEEKR consortium. It requires maximum flexibility.” According to Nico, that is exactly what sets BE Inject apart. “Our roots lie in quickly repairing construction site leaks, which often require immediate action. That ability to act quickly is also coming in handy on this project. Depending on the schedule, we deploy one crew, but if necessary, we can also deploy multiple teams simultaneously.”
For BE Inject, the project marks an important step in the organization’s continued development. “Previously, we mainly carried out concrete repair on a smaller scale,” says Nico. “The work on the Krammersluizen is one of the first major projects in which this discipline plays a central role. As a department, we’ve therefore been busy working toward obtaining BRL 3201 certification for the KOMO concrete repair standard. All of our employees, of course, hold the necessary certifications as concrete repair technicians and injectors and are highly versatile within the specializations of concrete repair, injection technology, and soil injections.”
The sheer size of the lock complex also impresses Nico. “The project is so big that you could almost get lost in it,” he says. “It’s a project we’re proud to be working on as a team, and one that shows we’re ready for the biggest challenges in concrete repair.”
