Strengthening of Ericus quay wall, Hamburg

Front view of the existing quay wall Client: HafenCity Hamburg GmbH, Hamburg Construction Costs: Approx. 5.0 mio. € Services: Study of Alternatives, Tender Documents, Execution Design, Site Supervision Period: 2007 - 2008

The Ericus quay wall is one of the most prominent areas in the east of Hamburg’s new developed district HafenCity with long historical background. In 1611 a bastion was erected at the Ericus area as part of the town wall. In 1885 a first quay wall was erected and since then the area was used for handling fuel products. In 1907 the quay wall was heightened and over the years partly renovated and modified.

From 2010 the publishing company SPIEGEL Group will move its head office to the Ericus area, so the quay wall has to be strengthened. To fulfil future requirements Sellhorn Inge¬nieurgesellschaft was contracted to investigate possible strengthening alternatives. Afterwards one alternative was taken into consideration for further planning and detailed for tendering and execution design. After the contract award Sellhorn provided the site supervision.

The quay wall has a length of about 312 m und consists of a 5.75 m high gravity wall (masonry and concrete) that is deep founded at wooden piles. To clarify and affirm the exact geometry several excavations were carried out during the strengthening study. A first static recalculation of the structural system showed insufficient stability, particularly due to the high design criteria for water pressure according to the new standard.

After a reduction of loading and calculation with average values of soil parameters the calculated stability could be satisfactorily proved. Deformations of the quay wall, which already occurred and still remain, and failure modes could be reconstructed with the developed structural system.

Finally, the quay wall was strengthened by a new anchorage with jet grouted piles (GEWI) and a waterside concrete waling. Due to historical architectural reasons, beside concrete and masonry works including crack restauration, dolphins and mooring hooks were installed.

From the beginning of the planning process several authorities and others were involved, like monument protection authority, archaeologists, structural safety engineers and the designer of the SPIEGEL Group.