The barrier in the Neva Bay protects St. Petersburg and its 5-million inhabitants against flooding. Construction of the barrier started in 1980, but the work was never finalized due to environmental issues. From 2003 to 2008 DHV and its partners executed the completion of the flood protection barrier. They were responsible for the design, tendering and construction supervision. The flood protection barrier, with a length of 25km, is the most complex barrier in the world.
Background
The first plans for construction of the flood protection barrier date back to 1923. Actual construction began in 1979 by the Russians. In 1988 activities were suddenly halted as a result of concerns about the perceived negative environmental impacts of the barrier. However, an international committee concluded in 1990 that the environmental impacts were acceptable and advised construction to be finalized as soon as possible. Project principal Gosstrov commissioned an international consortium to complete the flood protection barrier in September 2003. The consortium consisted of DHV, Halcrow (United Kingdom), Norplan (Norway) and Russian subconsultant Lenhydroproject.
Project
The St. Petersburg Barrier is the largest and most complex barrier in the world with a length of 25km. The barrier contains a tunnel, a movable bridge, 23km of dam structures, two navigation openings and six sluice structures – each of which are 200m wide. A highway on the barrier also accommodates the new ring road of St. Petersburg. The total construction costs amounted to US$1.2-billion.
As consortium leader, DHV was responsible for the complex flood protection structures, dams and tunnel constructions. Activities comprised among others all geotechnical and wave boundary conditions, and 2D and 3D numerical and physical modeling. DHV were also responsible for the design of dams, movable barrier structures, bank protection structures, breakwaters, dredging and reclamation, the maintenance port, quay structures, heavy concrete L-wall structures, the tunnel under the waterway structure, and the docking chambers of the steel gates of the main movable barrier.