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THE CUSTOMER MAGAZINE OF THYSSENKRUPP GFT BAUTECHNIK 

Bautechnik 

NO. 1 | 2012 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik 

GERMANY 

Timmendorfer Strand 

TKR flood defence system with demountable 

stop log wall 

WORLDWIDE 

St. Petersburg 

New port and logistics centre at Bronka 

MANAGEMENT NEWS 

“Only a regional presence 

creates trust” 

Interview with our chairman, Dipl.-Ing. 

Jens Günther

02 EdiTorial 

Editorial 

Dear Readers 

a warm welcome to this winter edition of Bautechnik. The new year heralds 

a new layout for our magazine. and there are also plenty of new things at 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik to write about. You can find out more about 

those in the interview with our new chairman, Jens Günther, on pages 4 

and 5 of this edition. 

One particular theme in this issue is flood defences in areas popular with tourists. 

More and more local authorities are placing their faith in modern, good-looking 

flood defences. Sandbags are gradually being phased out. The big advantage 

of our new, demountable TKR flood defence systems is that they can be set up 

really quickly – even by untrained personnel. Turn to pages 6 and 7 to find out 

how Timmendorf protects its beach and is able to react flexibly to storm tides 

at any time. One innovative milestone is the new, patented TKR stop log system 

with its new intermediate post (see page 20), another is the new glass stop log 

system (see page 21) – an attractive, elegant flood defence system made from 

aluminium or stainless steel and laminated safety glass. It can be provided in the 

form of a demountable, semi-permanent or permanent system. 

The newly developed GIKEN Silent Piler, a pile-supported sheet pile press that 

installs the piles without vibrations and with very little noise, is available exclusively 

from ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik. Read about how the GIKEN Silent 

Piler ECO1400S operates in various ground conditions on pages 10 and 22. 

Further innovative developments in vibration technology are revealed on pages 

26–29 of this issue. 

Once again, ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik personnel were out and about 

working on many interesting projects at home and abroad, and you can find 

out about some of their projects on the following pages. Looking ahead to the 

FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016, both of which take place in 

South America, we take the opportunity to deliver a portrait of our subsidiary 

ThyssenKrupp GfT do Brasil, which has already caused something of a stir in 

Rio de Janeiro. 

This is also the opportunity to thank you for the good cooperation over the past 

year and also for your continued interest in our magazine. 

Godehard Drees Jens Günther Rolf F. Oberhaus

04 / 

17 / 

Contents 

Editorial 

MANAGEMENT NEWS 

04 / “only a regional presence creates trust” 

Interview with our chairman, Dipl.-Ing. Jens 

Günther 

GERMANY 

06 / Timmendorf: nice beach, nice defences 

TKR flood defence systems with demountable 

stop log wall 

08 / New quay wall secures the future 

Bendorf’s port on the Rhine is getting a new 

quay wall 

10 / Sheet pile wall to protect “Seemanshöft” 

pilot station 

Driving with the GIKEN Silent Piler ECO1400S 

WORLDWIDE 

12 / Bronka – a new port for St. Petersburg 

Building the port and logistics centre at Bronka 

15 / ThyssenKrupp Bautechnik conquers South 

america 

Our subsidiary in Rio de Janeiro 

17 / Brazil: major contract for Gerdau 

Credits 

06 / 08 / 

Published by 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik GmbH, Hollestr. 7a, 45127 Essen, 

Germany, www.thyssenkrupp-bautechnik.com 

Contributors to this issue 

Dipl.-Ing. Winfried Just, Sigfried Steins, Tatjana Detzel, 

Dipl.-Ing. Jan Selders, Wolfgang Lottes, Dr. Johannes Köcher, 

Mathias Himmel, Dipl.-Ing. Torsten Semmling, Dipl.-Ing. Frank Tapken, 

Nicole Becker 

12 / 

21 / 26 / 

CoNTENTS 03 

18 / Completed in 28 days 

Extension to pumped-storage hydroelectric plant 

in Luxembourg 

TECHNOLOGY 

20 / The new TKR flood defence system 

Temporary flood defences erected in the twinkling 

of an eye 

21 / New! The TKr glass stop log system 

Premiere at the Acqua Alta 

22 / No vibrations and little noise: 

GIKEN products marketed exclusively by 


26 / innovative developments in vibration 

technology 

Driving and extracting technology marketed under 

the Müller brand 

IN BRIEF 

30 / review 

Trade fairs and events in recent months 

31 / “Anne” on her first job 

Baptism and commissioning of new ABI TM 11/14 

on SR 25 T base machine 

Editor 

Nicole Becker, nicole.becker@thyssenkrupp.com 

Concept and design 

Freudenhaus Werbeagentur GmbH & Co. KG, www.freudenhaus.tv 

Please send your feedback to: nicole.becker@thyssenkrupp.com 

Bautechnik is issued in German and English. 

Reprinting is only permitted with the publisher’s consent. 

This also applies to inclusion in electronic databases and reproduction 

on CD-ROM. 

ThyssenKrupp GFT Bautechnik Magazine | 1 | 2012

04 MANAGEMENT NEWS / lEad STory 

“Only a regional presen 

Interview with the chairman of ThyssenKrupp 

GfT Bautechnik, Dipl.-Ing. Jens Günther 

Mr. Günther, tell the readers something about yourself. 

I studied construction engineering in Braunschweig in northern Germany. Before 

coming to ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik, I spent 15 years in various managerial 

positions at Hochtief. In my last three years there I worked in the Solutions 

Division and successfully built up and managed the buildings business for the 

domestic structural engineering and industrial buildings segment. 

What were your objectives when you first joined ThyssenKrupp GfT 

Bautechnik? 

The corporate law situation and the business environment for ThyssenKrupp 

GfT Bautechnik have changed over recent months. The opportunities resulting 

from these changes now have to be transferred to a new business model and 

the company realigned to meet future demands. The new management is currently 

working very intensively on this new business strategy. 

How does the management team work together? 

We cooperate to identify projects at an early stage and persuade our customers 

that we, as system suppliers with many years of experience in the market, have 

the technical expertise to meet their demands. I don’t see my chief task as merely 

the ongoing strategic development of the company. Instead, I see a need to use 

the experiences and contacts of my career so far to contribute to day-to-day 

operations, which are the responsibility of Godehard Drees and Rolf Oberhaus. 

Where do you see the challenges of the future? 

The main tasks for the global construction industry in the coming decades will 

lie in infrastructure projects, such as ports, bridges and other transport issues. 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik is already working in these fields at both national 

and international level. We also see great potential in flood defences and renewable 

energy. Here, too, we have already witnessed the first successes, in the 

shape of the “alpha ventus” project. Being part of a group such as ThyssenKrupp, 

with its international outlook embracing diverse activities, creates the best conditions 

for our future business.

ce creates trust” 

“Focusing on what 

customers want” 

Dipl.-Ing. Jens Günther, chairman of 


MANAGEMENT NEWS / lEad STory 05 

Just how will your customers benefit from this realignment? 

What we have to do is to continue emphasizing our strengths as a 

multi-faceted supplier with extensive engineering skills, and to offer 

custom-ers optimised, end-to-end solutions – on a global scale. To do 

this, in future we must focus on key themes such as urbanisation and 

mobility, and continue down the international road we have already 

mapped out for ourselves. Because that is where there is still great potential. 

In Germany, many customers already see us as an accomplished 

systems provider, and not just as a supplier of sheet pile walls. Promoting that 

and achieving the same success on the international scene, that is what we’re 

working on. Looking at the long-term, we want to be involved in the growth 

regions, places like Brazil, Russia and Australia, where we have already scored 

successes. We want to be where our customers need our specialist range of 

products and services, and our expertise. I say this because I am convinced 

that a regional presence creates trust and the foundation for close and durable 

relations with customers. 

You come from Hannover and the headquarters of ThyssenKrupp GfT 

Bautechnik is in Essen. How do you like the city? 

I lived in Hannover for a long time but know the Ruhr region very well and have 

spent a number of years here. Essen is fine by me. Local recreation activities are 

on the doorstep and there’s plenty to do – the Ruhr region has its own charm. 

I find the region’s industrial culture especially interesting. That culture has not 

been forgotten, indeed, is actively promoted; for example, the Zollverein World 

Heritage Site in Essen and Duisburg’s industrial landscape park. 

And now on a personal note: what do you do in your spare time? 

All my spare time is devoted to my family. My children are three and six, and so 

the evenings and weekends are quickly booked for other activities. 

The interview was conducted by the editor. 


06 THEMAThEma 

GERMANY 

Timmendorf: nice beach, 

nice defences 

Storm tide “Daisy” pounded the Bay of Lübeck on 10 January 2010, forced its 

way up Kieler Förde, the coastal inlet leading to the City of Kiel, and left its 

mark. The result was flooding and untold damage, where normally only beautiful 

sandy beaches are to be seen. Since then, the authorities in Timmendorf 

have been placing their faith in the TKR demountable flood defence system. 

The new system is characterised by its fast installation without the need for 

special training. One metre of safety “grows” every 90 seconds. 

Schleswig-Holstein’s minister responsible for coastal protection, 

Dr. Juliane Rumpf, inaugurated the flood defence systems in 

Timmendorfer Strand in June 2011. About 10 km² of low-lying land, 

some 4600 inhabitants, almost 2000 jobs, primarily in the tourism 

sector, and property worth billions are now protected by the new 

flood defence systems. In the words of the Minister: “The severe 

storm tides of the Baltic Sea can now come without the people of 

this region having to fear floods.” 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik GmbH, in collaboration with Berlin 

Technical University and Rosslauer Schiffswerft GmbH & Co., has 

developed a new demountable stop log system: the “TKR flood 

defence system”. 

This new system is set up in no time at all, which means it is 

possible to react to storm tides quickly and at any time without the 

need for special training. 

The Minister emphasized the far-reaching consequences: “Completion 

of the flood defence measures is also a symbol for further improve- 

ments to the infrastructure of Timmendorfer Strand, which is so 

dependent on tourism.” She was particularly pleased that the local 

community, helped by federal state funding, has managed to extend 

and restructure the sea-front promenade, albeit always one step 

behind the coastal works. Since October 2006, flood defences and 

coastal protection measures over a length of 4.9 km have been 

completed in five phases. Those measures consist mainly of rip-rap 

revetments and protective walls, some of which are raised to the 

necessary height of 4 m above normal water level in the autumn 

by using stop logs. 

Facts & figures 

Client: Timmendorfer Strand local authority 

Scope of supply: 270 t LARSSEN 600, 3–7 m long, approx. 105 t 

LARSSEN 600 K, 1.5 & 2 m long (base of embankment), 

approx. 70 m of TKr flood defence system 

with “quick-fix posts” 

Construction: Sheet piles delivered between December 2010 and 

January 2011 

Installation of demountable stop log system completed 

in July 2011 

Contact: Dipl.-Ing. Boris Schröder 

Hamburg Branch 

Tel: +49 (0)40 73320719 

E-mail: boris.schroeder@thyssenkrupp.com 

Dipl.-Ing. Winfried Just 

specialist consultant for flood defences 

Berlin Branch 

Tel: +49 (0)3375 921722 

Mobile: +49 (0)172 3008961 

E-mail: winfried.just@thyssenkrupp.com 

The TKR flood defence system 

The TKR flood defence system performs reliably in all weather conditions 

and is quickly and easily set up without the need for any 

special training. The key element in the demountable stop log wall 

is the unique, newly developed intermediate post.

All the parts that are to be cast into concrete are made from 

galvanised steel. EPDM strips separate the steel and aluminium 

components. When the system is needed, the pocket cover plate 

is first opened with a manhole cover key. Next, the post with the 

pocket insert is slotted into the pocket cast into the concrete and pos- 

itioned exactly with the help of markings. An interlocking connection 

is achieved by turning the post through 90°, similar to the bayonet 

fitting on the lens of a camera. A system consisting of two threaded 

rods is used to fix the post firmly in the pocket with the help of a 

handle at the top end. 

The advantages of the TKR flood defence system 

• Conventional assembly with bolts is unnecessary 

• No further tools (spanners, sockets, etc.) required 

• Unaffected by shifting sands 

• Low maintenance requirement 

• Posts easily and quickly removed 

• Theft-proof 

• Attractive design for tourist and public areas 

• Much faster setting-up time, the wall is soon ready for use 

one metre of safety every 90 seconds 

Based on a post spacing of 3 m, a wall height of 1 m and a crew 

of four, the setting-up time for one wall segment (one intermedi- 

ate post + five 200 mm stop logs) is about 4½ minutes, i.e. approx. 

1½ min/m length of wall. 

Four people were able to set up the complete demountable stop 

log wall in just under two hours. 

i 

more details in technology on page 20 

The principle behind the TKr flood 

defence system: 

(drawing) Specially fabricated aluminium 

sections for the stop logs and the posts in 

various sizes, characterised by the efficient 

way they use the material. The system consists 

of only a few standard parts and can be 

used as a protective wall, for closing dyke 

openings and for protecting buildings. 

GERMANY 07 

01 / 

An interlocking connection 

between preformed pocket 

and post is achieved by 

turning the post through 

90°, similar to the bayonet 

fitting on the lens of a 

camera. 

02 / 

Tightening the post. 

03 / 

Timmendorf’s legendary 

pier can also be closed off 

during the flood season. 

04 / 

Attractive but functional: 

stop logs and posts made 

from aluminium sections. 

Specially developed 

EPDM seals ensure the 

system remains watertight. 


08 GERMANY 

New quay wall secures 

the future 

Bendorf’s port on the Rhine is getting a new quay wall. The 

100-year-old wall is being replaced by a modern steel sheet 

pile wall over a length of 426 m. A total of €5.2 million is being 

invested to upgrade the port and secure the future of this region. 

The inland port at Bendorf on the River Rhine is situated on the west 

bank of the river, some 10 km north of Koblenz. Ores and metal 

products were loaded and unloaded at the port back in the days of 

Bendorf’s steelworks. This trans-shipment facility, as it is called in 

the relevant state legislation, was built in 1899/1900. A tank farm 

was built here during the 1970s and that led to a restructuring of 

the port. Today, Bendorf is the second-largest port on the Middle 

Rhine, after Andernach. The port has 30 000 m² of storage area 

and the largest tank farm between Cologne and Mainz (145 000 m³). 

Three cranes with lifting capacities of up to 20 t plus a dockside conveyor 

installation are available for loading and unloading ships. There 

are also two loading/unloading installations for petroleum products. 

The new wall will create the necessary conditions for securing the 

economic future of the port and its trans-shipment operations. It will 

not only increase safety for ships, it will also give the local transshipment 

businesses the chance to plan further investments. For 

example, Bendorfer Umschlag- und Speditions GmbH intends to 

invest €2.5 million in a new crane and an infrastructure upgrade. 

Extensive refurbishment and modernisation measures have been 

carried out here since late 2009. The work involved building sheet 

pile walls at the downstream end of the port and subsequently backfilling 

behind these to create 12 000 m² of new storage area out of 

the reach of floods. A mobile crane with a lifting capacity of 84 t 

for loading/unloading heavy cargo is currently under construction. 

New dolphins have been built for the petroleum products loading/ 

unloading facilities so that ships with capacities of up to 5000 t can 

berth here. 

huge amounts of material supplied by ThyssenKrupp GfT 

Bautechnik 

Owing to the age of the old concrete quay walls and their inad- 

equate loadbearing capacity for modern port operations, a decision 

was taken to replace part of the trans-shipment quay in the north-western 

part of the port; planning work was carried out and tenders issued. 

The measures for Lot 1 shown here include a total of approx. 430 m 

of sheet pile wall with the necessary anchorages and dockside equipment, 

plus dredging works. 

01 / Embarkation/disembarkation facilities with stair towers, gangways, 

escape routes and safety barriers, ladders and anchor plates


Client: Bendorf local authority, Rheinhafen Bendorf GmbH 

Contractor: Hülskens Wasserbau GmbH, Wesel 

Grouted anchors: Stump Spezialtiefbau, Langenfeld Branch 

detailed engineering 

design: GRBV Ingenieure, Hannover 

Site management: GRBV Ingenieure, Hannover 

CDM Consult GmbH, Bingen Branch 

Checking engineers: Duensing, Minden 

Scope of supply: 

Sheet pile wall materials: 

• approx. 1820 t LARSSEN 607n, grade S 355 GP, up to 23.50 m long 

• approx. 80 t LARSSEN 603, grade S 355 GP, 4.50 m long 

Steel piles/dolphins: 

• 6 No. LV 23 steel piles as twin dolphins, 21.50 m long, incl. all steel components 

and corrosion protection coating by Hartmann Bautenschutz, Dortmund 

aSF anchorage materials, anton Schmoll Gmbh: 

• 70 No. ASF round steel tie rods, 3¾ inch, up to 18.00 m long 

Fittings and steelwork for aSF anchors, anton Schmoll Gmbh: 

• 850 m walings, with waling bolts etc. 

• 490 m capping 

• 100 No. platform and recessed bollards 

• 7 No. embarkation/disembarkation facilities with stair towers, gangways, 

escape routes, safety barriers, ladders and anchor plates 

• Galvanising and corrosion protection coatings 

driving plant: 

• Leader-guided driving with SENNEBOGEN 690 HD base machine and DELMAG 

MDG 3504 swivelling/lowering leader (36.00 m long) 

• New construction and installation of plant by ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik, 

Essen Branch 

Vibratory driving plant: 

• MÜLLER MS-32 HFV vibrator with MÜLLER MS-A 660V diesel-hydraulic power unit 

• MÜLLER MS-28 HFV vibrator with MÜLLER MS-A 570V diesel-hydraulic power unit 

impact driving plant: 

• MENCK SB 400 fast-action driving hammer 

Transport/logistics: 

• Waterways transportation of sheet pile wall by client 

• Road transport, Lehnkering 

Contact: 

• Dipl.-Ing. Frank Tapken, Essen Branch 

Tel: +49 (0)208 4958640 

E-mail: frank.tapken@thyssenkrupp.com 

Two existing berths with three pairs of dolphins were also extended, 

one by 25 m, the other by 50 m, and provided with new stair towers 

and gangways as escape routes. 

The existing port site is flooded even during average high-water 

levels, and so backfilling over a length of 150 m is planned to create 

a flood-free area for port operations. The top edge of the new sheet 

pile wall here is 3.80 m above the other areas. 

GERMANY 09 

02 / 

The driving works are 

being carried out with a 

leader-guided vibratory 

hammer mounted on a 

pontoon over the water; 

with pile lengths of up to 

23.50 m and each double 

bearing pile weighing 

5.4 t, no easy task. 

03 / 

Close-up of recessed 

bollard 

In the first construction phase, the sheet pile wall will have a double 

row of anchors, in the second phase just a single row. Walings are 

in the form of twin channel sections. A steel capping will finish off 

the top of the wall. 

The driving works are being carried out with leader-guided vibratory 

hammer mounted on a pontoon over the water. With pile lengths 

of up to 23.50 m and each double pile weighing 5.4 t, no easy task. 

Therefore, for precise positioning of the sheet pile walls, the driving 

guide is mounted on a trestle. This ensures that both the toe and the 

head of each pile are guided securely and can be installed exactly 

as intended. A total of seven stair towers have been built in recesses 

in the sheet pile wall to ensure safe embarkation/disembark- 

ation irrespective of the water level in the river. These are supplemented 

by intermediate ladders. Some of the anchors are in the form 

of grouted anchors which in some cases had to be drilled through 

the existing gravity wall. PE sleeves are fitted around the anchors 

over the full depth of the gravity wall to isolate them from the wall. 

A “dead man” construction with anchors in the form of round steel 

tie rods and an anchor wall of steel sheet pile sections was chosen 

for certain areas. 

The two existing berths for tankers, for loading/unloading petroleum 

and petroleum products, are being extended and provided 

with new dolphins, new escape routes, stair towers and gangways. 

The harbour bottom will be excavated to the depth of the navigation 

channel in the Rhine during the course of the construction work. The 

dredged material from that work will be used as backfilling behind 

the new sheet pile wall or as fill in the raised area designed to ensure 

that port operations can continue during flooding. The first phase of 

the work has already been completed and handed over to the port 

authorities in Bendorf. The second phase is currently underway and 

is expected to be completed in the summer of this year. 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik is a leading player in port and specialist 

civil engineering. Our integrated product range of sheet pile 

sections, pile driving plant, anchors and steelwork plus engineering 

services have successfully contributed to accomplishing a complex 

and challenging engineering project here in a close working rela- 

tionship with the client. 


10 GERMANY 

GiKEN Silent Piler 

ECo1400S in operation. 

This high-tech, environmentally 

friendly method 

of building minimises 

the total impact on the 

environment. 

Sheet pile wall to protect 

“Seemanshöft” pilot station 

The “Seemanshöft” pilot station, with its prominent signal and observation 

tower, is a brick building dating from 1914. It is located on a narrow headland 

at the entrance to the Port of Hamburg where the Köhlfleet flows into the Elbe. 

Up until now, a wall of timber piles protected the embankment. However, the 

effects of the tides and the waves over decades had worn down the timber 

severely. The timber piles were broken in many places and that had led to 

parts of the embankment being undermined or washed away, and in the end 

to a major embankment failure. The stability of the embankment, and hence 

the building on its shallow foundations at the top of the embankment, could 

no longer be assured. It was therefore decided to replace the existing protection 

by installing a new steel sheet pile wall in front of the old wall.

installation with GiKEN Silent Piler ECo1400S 

There was a risk of further embankment failures and so a gentle 

hydraulic pressing method was specified by the client for installing 

the piles. The GIKEN Silent Piler was therefore selected, which uses 

an efficient installation technique to achieve an environmentally 

compatible and optimum method of working in various subsoil and 

site conditions. The Silent Piler is a pile-supported sheet pile press 

which is based on the reaction principle. It is regarded as the most 

reliable, most modern and most environmentally friendly method of 

installing sheet pile walls. In contrast to impact or vibratory driving, 

pressing with the Silent Piler merely exerts a static pressure on the 

piles, without vibration. So there is no environmental impact in the 

form of noise or vibrations which could have a detrimental effect 

on nearby buildings or the existing subsoil. 

GERMANY 11 

Z-sections (Wy = 2600 cm³/m, width = 700 mm) were installed for 

the “Seemanshöft” pilot station project. The piles were approx. 

16–18 m long. Hermann Koth Ingenieurbau was awarded the contract. 

The contractor used a GIKEN ECO700S press, but also employed 

the ECO1400S during the work to cope with the greater stiffness 

of the double piles compared with the single piles. The GIKEN 

ECO1400S is designed to drive Z-sections into the ground as double 

piles. Changing the chuck of the ECO1400S allows it to install 

U-sections up to 1416 mm wide. In addition, the ECO1400S can be 

fitted with jetting equipment (Water Jetting Mode) for driving U- or 

Z-sections. The so-called Super Crush Mode can only be used with 

double Z-sections. 

i 

more details on pages 22–25 

Contact: 

Sigfried Steins, Bremen Branch 

Tel: +49 (0)4202 519712 

E-mail: sigfried.steins@thyssenkrupp.com 


12 WORLDWIDE 

Bronka – a new port 

for St. Petersburg 

St. Petersburg at the 

mouth of the river Neva 

at the eastern end of the 

Gulf of Finland is the 

world’s most northerly city 

with more than one million 

inhabitants. It was founded 

in 1703 by Peter the 

Great on marshy land not 

far from the sea. 

Expanding the port capacities in the Russian part of the Gulf of Finland 

and developing St. Petersburg as a transport and logistics hub 

have enormous significance for the modernisation of Russia's transport 

infrastructure. One of the major projects currently underway is 

the building of a new port and logistics centre at Bronka, about 50 km 

north-west of St. Petersburg. 

For the Russian Federation, the St. Petersburg region 

is a key investment location. Just over 20% of foreign 

maritime trade already passes through Russia’s Baltic 

Sea ports. One major problem for St. Petersburg is 

that the current main part of the port has in the meantime 

quite literally expanded into the city, which makes 

modern transport and logistics difficult. For a number of 

years, the Russian Federation has therefore been pursuing 

a policy of developing new port locations outside 

the city itself; those include Ust Luga (see our report in 

the 01 | 2010 edition) and Bronka. 

The Bronka project: a new port and logistics 

centre 

Alexey Shukletsov, executive director of Fenix, the 

Russian company responsible for port development, 

sees the construction of a new port and logistics centre 

at Bronka as a project that should take on the character 

of an outer harbour for St. Petersburg. The Bronka 

project is an answer to the long-term forecasts of port 

experts, which predict that trade via the Baltic Sea 

will grow to 190 million tonnes by 2025. Capacity bottlenecks 

are already evident today, especially on the 

Russian side. “By 2025, we will be short of trans-shipment 

facilities for goods to the tune of about 95 million 

tonnes,” says Shukletsov. What the manager does not 

say is that as some of Russia’s trade currently goes via 

the ports of the Baltic republics and Finland, the aim 

is to become independent in the long-term – for political 

reasons.

approach canal Port basin 

1st phase 2nd phase 1st phase 2nd phase 

Lenght, m 6 422 

Width, m 150 185 380 

Water depth, m – 11.2 – 14.4 – 11.2 – 14.4 


Building measures: Construction of new port with 

container terminal, BRONKA Project, 

Leningrad Region, Russian Federation 

Client: FENIX Investors Group 

Contractor: ZAO Baltstroj 

Project 

management: GT Morstroj, St. Petersburg 

Scope of supply: LARSSEN 606n and LARSSEN 607n, 

already supplied: 

Berths 3, 4, 5 and 6: 

• L606n and L607n, 6500 t in total 

• Lengths up to 26 m 

Planned: 

• L606n and L607n in Q1/2012, approx. 

3000 t 

Plant: MS-50 HHF 

Project duration: May 2011 – 2014 

Contact: Tatjana Detzel, manager of 

St. Petersburg office 

Tel: +7 812 3376929 

E-mail: tatjana.detzel@thyssenkrupp.com 

The most widely used ISO containers are 8 feet wide and either 

20 or 40 feet long. That gives rise to the following abbreviations: 

TEU = Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit, FEU = Forty-foot 

Equivalent Unit. 

Infrastructure benefits for all transport users 

Bronka Port overcomes the shortage of port capacity in 

north-western Russia and also has good transport connections. 

A central railway line to/from St. Petersburg is 

intended to be accessible to container ships and large 

ro-ro vessels. For container trans-shipment alone, capacities 

of up to 1.9 million TEU should be available over 

the long-term. Further infrastructure developments 

include the upgrading of the orbital motorway around 

St. Petersburg and expansion measures at Bronka 

railway station. In addition, vessel transit times in the 

St. Petersburg sea canal will be reduced by about three 

hours in each direction. Russia is relying on a combination 

of state funding and private capital for the Bronka 

Port project. 

Project realisation in two phases 

The plan to reconstruct the St. Petersburg sea canal 

and build the approach canal for the port at Bronka 

was drawn up by contractor ZAO Baltstroj and the project 

management team of GT Morstroj on behalf of the 

“Rosmorport” Federal Unitary Enterprise in 2008 and 

was given the go-ahead by the authorities in December 

of that year. The port is to be developed in several 

phases. Mr. Shukletsov is optimistic: “We want to handle 

the first freighter in 2013.” The shipping lane of the 

WORLDWIDE 13 

model of planned port and logistics centre at 

Bronka: 

1st phase (2013–15): 

• Container terminal with an annual capacity of 

1.45 million TEU 

• Terminal for ro-ro traffic for 260 000 TEU 

2nd phase (2017): 

• Expanding the container terminal and its annual capacity 

to 1.9 million TEU 

• Optimising the complex for ro-ro traffic while maintaining 

the capacity; establishing a logistics centre on 

land to the west of the base of the southern part of 

St. Petersburg’s flood defence dam 

3rd phase (2022): 

• Container terminal with an annual capacity of 

3 million TEU 

Source: http://eng.port-bronka.ru 


14 WORLDWIDE 

approach canal was laid out according to the construction 

and restructuring plan of the sea routes in the 

vicinity of Bronka-Kronstadt-Lomonosov and passes 

through the Lomonosov shallows to the south-west of 

Fort Kronschlot. The area of the port basin is defined 

by the quay walls. The port basin consists of the turning 

basin and the operations area around the berths of the 

port. The construction of the canal and the port basin 

“We want to handle the first 

freighter in 2013.” 

alexey Shukletsov, executive director of Fenix 

will be carried out in two phases. The end of the second 

phase will mark the completion of the entire project. 

Approach canal and port basin in figures 

The approach canal consists of two straight sections. 

Turning basins are provided at changes of direction 

and intersections with waterways. The turning radius is 

945 m, the size of the widening 36 m. 

The size of the port basin (width of operative basin 

and area of turning basin) was specified on the basis of 

mooring conditions and turning the largest ships with 

the help of tugs. 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik has already supplied 

6500 t of sheet pile walls for this project. A further 3000 t 

of sheet pile walls are to be supplied for the next phase 

of the project in the first half of 2012. 

driving works and sheet pile wall installation in the new port at 

Bronka: the Müller MS-50 HHF operates in all weathers. 

location: The new port and logistics centre at Bronka is situated on the 

southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. The complex also forms one of 

the measures protecting St. Petersburg against flooding. 

Source: http://eng.port-bronka.ru 

Schematic drawing of sea canal 

Source: http://www.verkehrsrundschau.de / russlands-seehafenverkehrswirtschaft-neubau-und-ausbau-der-haefen-907474.html; http://eng.port-bronka.ru

WORLDWIDE 15 

ThyssenKrupp 

Bautechnik conquers 

South America 

The landmarks of rio de Janeiro are Sugarloaf Mountain, the 38 m high 

“Christ the Redeemer” statue on top of the Corcovado and the Copacabana 

beach, regarded as one of the most famous in the world. 

Our subsidiary ThyssenKrupp GfT do Brasil has been based in Rio de Janeiro 

since 2010. The FIFA World Cup final will take place here in 2014, an event 

that, just like the Olympics two years later, requires the completion of many 

infrastructure projects. ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik is well equipped to 

cope with the demand for system services “from a single source”: a large 

fleet of plant, huge storage areas for sheet pile walls, engineering services 

and qualified personnel. 

ThyssenKrupp GFT Bautechnik Magazine | 1 | 2012 

© Jean-Jacques - Fotolia.com

16 WORLDWIDE 

a large fleet of plant, sheet pile walls and an excellent all-round service puts ThyssenKrupp GfT do 

Brasil in a good position to handle the infrastructure measures planned for the FIFA World Cup in 

2014 and the Olympics in 2016. 

“The sale and hiring-out of sheet pile walls and plant for 

civil engineering works plus an all-round service, which 

includes supplying and maintaining plant, will enable us 

to establish a good image for future projects,” explains 

Jan Selders, ThyssenKrupp GfT do Brasil branch manager. 

metro extension project 

Brazil is under pressure to upgrade its public transport 

systems around the 12 venues for the 2014 World Cup 

so that they can handle the huge numbers of visitors. 

Infrastructure projects are therefore springing up overnight 

in many cities. Currently, one of the most important 

construction projects in Rio de Janeiro is the extension 

to the Metro. 

The city’s underground railway network was opened 

in 1979; it has two lines and a total of 36.9 km of track 

and 32 stations. Just by way of comparison, the lar- 


Building measures: Extension to Rio de Janeiro Metro 

driving & sheet pile 

wall contracts: ThyssenKrupp GfT do Brasil 

Project duration: contract to supply sheet pile walls already completed 

driving contract expected to be completed in January 2012 

Contact: Dipl.-Ing. Jan Selders, commercial manager, 

ThyssenKrupp GfT do Brasil 

Tel: +55 (0)21 32825245, e-mail: jan.selders@thyssenkrupp.com 

gest underground network in Germany is Berlin’s system, 

which has a total of 146.2 km of track, while the 

Metro in Moscow has more than 264 km and in London 

the lines of the “Tube” add up to 402 km. 

Adding four further lines to the existing network is 

proving to be a real challenge for ThyssenKrupp GfT do 

Brasil. The reason for this is that, on the one hand, the 

sites in the centre of the city are extremely confined and, 

on the other, “driving sheet pile walls” is a construction 

technique totally new to Rio de Janeiro. The sheet pile 

Extension works for the metro: driving sheet piles on a very confined 

site and sheet pile walls already installed in the heart of Rio. 

walls for the extension to the Metro have already been 

supplied and the driving works should be over by early 

2012. 

rio de Janeiro as strategic hub 

The Metro project is expected to attract enormous 

interest because this form of construction is new in 

Brazil. It has caught the attention of contractors who 

have never driven sheet pile walls and are happy to 

receive an invitation for a site visit. “In the light of the 

positive response, we reckon demand for high-quality 

steel sections will grow in the future. We see Rio de 

Janeiro as a strategic hub that will secure important 

markets in South America for us so that we can supply 

them directly with top-quality sheet pile wall systems.” 

That’s the view of Jan Selders. “My job in this 

process is to identify suitable projects, broaden our 

customer base, provide specialist advice for projects 

and expand our network of local fabricators and suppliers.” 

There is an ongoing need to obtain informa- 

tion about potential projects so that ThyssenKrupp 

can act as a systems supplier for those projects – 

especially with respect to the forthcoming FIFA World 

Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. Two items 

of plant supplied by ThyssenKrupp GfT do Brasil 

were working on the foundations for the stadium in 

Salvador for several months. 

A whole series of other projects – some already in 

progress, others due to begin shortly – have ensured 

plenty of activity in the South American civil engineer- 

ing business. A well-balanced combination of sales 

of sheet pile walls for permanent measures, hire 

contracts for temporary works and the driving or ex- 

tracting of walls with the latest plant guarantees that 

ThyssenKrupp GfT do Brasil has order books that are 

full to February 2012 at least. Projects include a large 

office complex in the new district of Barra da Tijuca 

and repairs to the sewerage system in the northern 

city of Belém.

Brazil: 

major contract for 

Gerdau 

Gigantic site and heavy plant: driving works carried out by ThyssenKrupp GfT do 

Brasil for extending Gerdau’s rolling mill in Cosígua, Brazil. Some 2000 t of steel piles 

are installed here every month. 

Following several acquisitions in the USA and Canada, the steel 

group Gerdau has now become the largest manufacturer, i.e. supplier, 

of long steel products on the American continent. Gerdau is 

currently investing more than €1 billion in doubling the capacity 

of the Cosígua steelworks for long steel products. The plant was 

founded 40 years ago as a joint venture together with Thyssen 

AG. The outlook for business in Brazil, especially for structural 

steel, continues to be excellent, which explains the reason behind 

Gerdau’s new investment. Gerdau needed the specialists from 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik for the rolling mill foundations – a 

total area of 180 000 m². ThyssenKrupp GfT do Brasil is supply- 


Building measures: Foundations for Gerdau rolling mill, 

driving of steel piles by 


Quantity: 200 000 m of steel piles 

Project duration: due for completion in April 2012 

Contact: Dipl.-Ing. Jan Selders, 

commercial manager, 


Tel: +55 (0)21 32825245 

E-mail: 

jan.selders@thyssenkrupp.com 

WORLDWIDE 17 

ing the construction plant and also driving the steel piles for the 

foundations to the rolling mill. On this site alone, approx. 2000 t 

of steel sections are being consumed every month, which adds 

up to a length of about 200 km and occupies eight driving rigs 

full-time. Jan Selders is optimistic: “We are confident that – even 

after this project is finished – we will receive even more orders and 

will be able to continue our growth.” The hope is that by the time 

of the World Cup in 2014, at the latest for the Olympics two years 

later, it will be ThyssenKrupp GfT do Brasil standing on top of the 

winners’ rostrum as a dependable systems supplier. 


18 WORLDWIDE 

Completed in 28 days 

11 august 2011 

The cofferdam is already 

finished. In the foreground, 

national road No. 10, 

which had to be rerouted 

during the work to erect 

the plant building. 

The extension to Vianden pumped-storage hydroelectric plant required 

the erection of a cofferdam. The 220 m long x 11.50 m wide cofferdam 

was completed in just 28 days. 

Vianden in Luxembourg is the home of the largest pumped- 

storage hydroelectric plant in Europe. The plant was 

built here back in the 1960s because of Vianden’s good 

topographical position between the industrial areas of 

north-west Europe plus the excellent geological conditions. 

It provides electricity for peak demands and at 

the same time stores energy for those peak periods. At 

the moment, an 11th turbine with an output of 200 MW 

of electricity is being added to the plant. RWE Power 

and Enovos Luxembourg are each providing half of the 

total investment of approx. €155 million. A new inlet/ 

outlet structure is required as well as the actual underground 

works with additional caverns, access galleries 

and a pressure shaft. This programme necessitated 

the erection of a cofferdam, which was carried out by 


• Preparation of verifiable structural calculations for erecting a 

cofferdam (engineering office) 

• Preparation of the driving schedule taking into account the 

circumstances of the site such as interlock rotation, space 

available or parallel driving (engineering office) 

• Supply of approx. 700 t (i.e. 6000 m²) of LARSSEN 716 steel 

sheet pile sections in lengths up to approx. 18.75 m with a 

section width of 700 mm 

• Sealing of 4648 m of sheet pile wall interlocks with the 

HOESCH PU system, and supply of sealed sheet pile sections 

• The supply logistics were carried out according to the concept: 

timetable, quantity, installation sequence 

STRABAG AG, as subcontractor to the PSW Vianden 

Lot 1 Consortium, in June 2011 for client SEO (Société 

Electrique de l’Our). 

Work on the approx. 220 m long, 11.50 m wide and 

more than 16 m high sheet pile wall structure took place 

in multi-shift operations during the draining of a reservoir 

over a period of 28 days as laid down in the contract. 

The Cologne Branch of ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik

GmbH supplied the sheet pile wall materials required to 

suit the planned driving schedule in predetermined quantities 

according to a specified timetable. 

The supply logistics were carried out according to 

the concept: timetable, quantity, installation sequence. 

Adhering to and guaranteeing the ambitious supply contract 

enabled the structure to be completed on time while 

maintaining the natural flow of the River Our across the 

site. 

The pumped-storage hydroelectric plant was able to 

resume operations punctually without restrictions, before 

the deadline expired, thus completing the job to the full 

satisfaction of the client. 

Further 

Information: 

dipl.-ing. Torsten Semmling, Cologne Branch 

Tel: +49 (0)2203 9662410 

E-mail: torsten.semmling@thyssenkrupp.com 

Christian haase, Engineering Office, Essen 

Tel: +49 (0)201 844562020 

E-mail: christian.haase2@thyssenkrupp.com 

STraBaG aG, Wirges Branch 

Dieselstr. 27, 56422 Wirges 

Contact: Dipl.-Ing. Michael Müller 

E-mail: michael.mueller@strabag.com 

18 June 2011 / 

Cofferdam, up to 16.75 m high, made 

from LARSSEN 716 sections installed in 

a 2.0 m deep trench subsequently backfilled 

with concrete. 

After installing the services and completing the works 

for the road, the cofferdam was opened to the public on 

12 August 2011. 

Once the new turbine starts operating, SEO will in 

future be in a position to feed approx. 1300 MW of electricity 

into the trans-European electricity grid at peak 

times. 

WORLDWIDE 19 


20 TECHNOLOGY 

The new TKR flood defence 

system 

Modern temporary flood defences are more economic and more effective than 

ever before. Further, the new TKR flood defence system is set up in no time at 

all so that even untrained personnel can react quickly to storm tides. That’s 

how one metre of safety is created every 90 seconds! 

01 / 

Post and preformed 

pocket below cover plate. 

The post is inserted into 

the pocket in a concrete 

base. All cast-in parts are 

made from galvanised 

steel. 

02 / 

Wedges made from 

impact-resistant plastic 

tighten the logs vertically, 

screw locks horizontally. 

03 / 

Opening safely closed off. 

Contact: 

dipl.-ing. Winfried Just, specialist consultant for flood 

defences, Berlin Branch 

Tel: +49 (0)3375 9217-22, Mobile: +49 (0)172 3008961 


Aluminium stop log systems have proved that they are reliable temporary 

flood defence systems for many situations. ThyssenKrupp 

GfT Bautechnik, in collaboration with Berlin Technical University and 

the Rosslauer shipyard, has designed a new demountable stop log 

system, the “TKR flood defence system”. It is a particularly userfriendly 

innovation; even untrained personnel can set up the system 

quickly and effectively. The aluminium stop log system consists of 

just a few standard parts and can be used as a protective wall, for 

closing dyke openings and for protecting buildings. 

The system consists of: 

• Preformed pocket (cast into a concrete capping beam) with 

sand trap and drainage opening 

• Pocket cover plate with non-slip coating, fitted flush with 

ground level 

• Pocket insert with threaded tensioning rods 

• Post with fixing brackets, including lip seals and cap 

The key element in the demountable stop log wall is the unique, 

newly developed intermediate post with bayonet fixing. Conventional 

assembly with bolts is therefore no longer necessary and tools such 

as spanners and sockets are not required. 

And that shortens the time needed to make the system ready 

for use. It has been proved that a stop log wall 3 m wide and offering 

1 m of protection can be erected by a team of four in less than 

five minutes. Such a protective wall replaces 480 sandbags. In add- 

ition, the aluminium system is unaffected by shifting sands, is theftproof 

and requires only minimal maintenance. Dismantling the wall 

is equally quick and easy. 

Visit our homepage to see a film about the TKR flood defence system. The film is an 

impressive demonstration of just how quick and easy it can be to establish effective protection 

against floods. 

http://www.thyssenkrupp-bautechnik.com/products/flood-protection.html

New! The TKR glass 

stop log system 

The new TKR glass stop log system premiered at 

the Acqua Alta. This system was developed by 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik in cooperation with 

Saint-Gobain Deutsche Glas and RSW Rosslauer 

Schiffswerft GmbH & Co. KG. Apart from looking 

smart, the system also offers vital economic and 

technical advantages. 

An aesthetic and elegant solution for flood defences is now possible 

thanks to the new TKR glass stop log system. The protective system 

made from aluminium or stainless steel and laminated safety glass 

can be used as a demountable, semi-permanent or permanent system 

and is recommended for all those locations where space, storage 

space or time are lacking and high aesthetic demands must be met. 

The TKR glass stop log system protects town and city centres as well 

as riverbanks against flooding. At the same time, it offers a barrier 

to wind and noise but still permits a view of the water beyond. The 

complete TKR glass stop log system consists of quality tested and 

guaranteed by experienced steel and glass manufacturers, and also 

benefits from low maintenance costs. It can be combined with other 

flood defence systems. ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik will develop 

an individual solution for every project. All the elements can be fully 

recycled, are made from environmentally compatible materials and 

will not corrode. The TKR glass stop log system is designed to offer 

a high level of security against vandalism, too. Simply contact any 

of our service centres around the world at any time for professional 

advice plus erection and maintenance services. 

acqua alta: the ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik stand 

(11–13 October 2011, Hamburg). 

Source (images): Stephan Wallocha (WA) 

Technical data 

TECHNOLOGY 21 

Laminated safety glass to DIN EN 12543, type STADIP 121212.8 

made from three panes of 12 mm PLANILUX float glass with 

two layers of 1.52 mm PVB sheeting. (Outer pane of PLANIDUR 

12 mm PLANILUX heat-strengthened safety glass for protection 

against impacts.) A frame of sealed stainless steel sections designed 

to suit structural requirements. Upon request, the frame 

can be designed and fabricated so that the TKR glass stop log 

also fits other post systems. 

Stop log specification 

material: Aluminium AlMgSi, pressed rectangular 

section with tongue and groove profile 

(also in glass upon request) 

Width: 50, 100, 150 mm (other widths on 

request) 

Seals: UV- and seawater-resistant EPDM 

material of posts: Aluminium AlMgSi, pressed rectangular 

section, 22 kg/m 

Foundation: Anchor plates or pocket system as 

required 

additional 

equipment: Capping, rear stays and tensioning 

apparatus 

Protective height: Infinitely adjustable depending on 

width of stop log 

applications: without rear stays: up to 2.60 m at a post 

spacing of approx. 3.00 m 

with rear stays: greater heights possible 

Contact: Dipl.-Ing. Winfried Just 

specialist consultant for flood defences, 

Berlin Branch 

Tel: +49 (0)3375 9217-22 

Mobile: +49 (0)172 3008961 



22 TECHNOLOGY 

No vibrations and little noise: 

GIKEN products marketed exclusively 

by ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik 

01 / 

GIKEN Silent 

Piler ECO1400S 

in operation 

Avoiding, or at least minimising, vibrations and noise on building sites calls 

for special driving techniques. And this is exactly where the newly developed 

GIKEN Silent Piler comes into its own. It is an efficient driving system that 

enables optimum environmentally friendly operations in various subsoil and 

site conditions. 

The GIKEN Silent Piler is a pile-supported 

sheet pile press that is regarded as the 

most reliable, most modern and most envir- 

onmentally friendly pressing method for 

sheet pile walls. In contrast to impact or vibratory 

driving, pressing with the Silent Piler creates 

only a static pressure on the sheet piles with no vibrations. 

As a result, there is no environmental damage 

due to noise or vibrations, no damage to nearby 

buildings or the existing subsoil, hardly any effect on 

the quality of life in the vicinity of the site. The GIKEN 

Silent Piler can be used to drive or extract any U- or 

Z-section, also tubular piles. 

The Silent Piler grips the sheet piles already 

installed with a hydraulic clamp. The next sheet pile 

is gripped hydraulically by the chuck at the right 

pressing point and then pressed into the ground 

with a static force generated by the hydraulic rams. 

While pressing a sheet pile into the ground, 

resistance ensues due to a combination of skin 

friction, toe pressure and interlock friction. The 

reaction force generated by the Silent Piler on 

the sheet piles already installed is greater than 

the pressing force required. It is this fact that 

enables the Silent Piler to press each sheet pile 

exactly to the depth required by the design. 

Two practical options for difficult soils 

A pressure bulb builds up at the toe of the sheet pile 

during pressing and the soil can become compacted 

along the surface of the sheet pile and in the interlocks. 

As the sheet pile is pressed deeper, so these two factors 

can lead to enormous resistance. 

This increased resistance calls for a greater pressing 

force, which can deform the sheet pile and result 

in a drop in productivity. High-pressure water jetting 

can reduce the resistance of the pressure bulb locally 

by loosening granular soils or softening cohesive soils. 

At the same time, the surface of the sheet pile and the 

inner face of the guide are wetted by the water, which 

reduces the friction and the tendency towards plug formation. 

Consequently, productivity remains high without 

the sheet pile being damaged. 

There is no risk of creating large voids in the soil 

because the quantity and pressure of the water can 

be adjusted to suit requirements and the water is only 

introduced exactly where needed. The soil parameters 

quickly return to their original state, which means that 

Exclusive distribution 

innovations in sheet pile pressing available 

exclusively from ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik has been the 

exclusive supplier of all GIKEN products in 

Germany since 1 June 2011. The exclusive contract 

with GIKEN covers sales, hiring, repairs and 

spare parts services. All projects are carried out 

together with the customer via the appropriate 

ThyssenKrupp branch. 

Contact: 

Wolfgang lottes, branch manager, 

Berlin Branch 

Tel: +49 (0)3375 9217-13

Water Jetting mode 

High-pressure water jets reduce the pressure bulb by loosening 

granular soils or softening cohesive soils locally. The water jets 

are controlled to suit the pressing force of the Silent Piler when 

working in the highly automated water jetting mode. The quantity 

of water and the pressure can be adjusted to suit requirements. 

advantages 

• Operations are carried out in a highly economical and environmentally 

friendly manner with just one power unit 

• Automation saves water and personnel 

• The water also reduces the friction on the sheet piles 

• Reduces the tendency for plug formation 

• Avoids deforming the sheet piles and the associated drop in 

productivity 

applications 

• Granular or cohesive soils 

• Z- and U-sections 

Piler jet unit 

(jet pump, water tank) 

Power unit 

(diesel engine, 

hydraulic pump) 

Silent Piler 

with piler jet reel 

there is an adequate reaction force available for pressing 

the next sheet piles. 

Stones and boulders in the soil can make pressing 

of sheet piles difficult, even impossible. But the integral 

auger system makes it possible to use the method 

even in soils that would normally be unsuitable. 

To do this, the Silent Piler is equipped with an integral 

auger system. The drill loos- 

ens the soil around the toe of the 

pile as it is being pressed into the 

ground. The pre-drilling normally 

required in difficult soil conditions 

is no longer required, which 

saves time and costs. Potential 

errors during pre-drilling are 

ruled out and changes to the plans can be taken into 

account right up to the time of starting the pressing 

work. 

It is not absolutely necessary to carry out pre-drilling 

with a diameter greater than the sheet pile wall 

itself. For simultaneous drilling and pressing, it is normally 

sufficient to select a diameter smaller than the 

sheet pile wall. That means less soil has to be removed 

and backfilled than with pre-drilling. 

GrB (GIKEN Reaction Base) system – sheet pile 

wall as working platform 

In the GRB system, all the plant required is mounted on the 

pressing axis and pressing operations can be carried out with- 

out the need for additional staging. Special plant was developed 

for and integrated into the GRB system so that pressing 

operations can be carried out over water, on embankments or 

on sites where cranes or other plant cannot gain access. 

Silent Piler 

The GiKEN Silent Piler is regarded 

as the most reliable, 

most modern and most environmentally 

friendly pressing 

method for sheet pile walls. 

diesel power unit 

Clamp crane 

Sheet pile wall 

Unit runner Pile runner 

GrB system combines several operations 

By exploiting the reaction principle, it is possible to 

mount all the plant needed for pressing the sheet piles 

on top of the sheet pile wall, i.e. temporary staging is 

unnecessary. Special plant has been designed, developed 

and incorporated into the integral GRB (GIKEN 

Reaction Base) system so that the entire pressing operation 

can also be carried out 

easily over water, on slopes and 

on very confined sites where normal 

driving rigs or cranes cannot 

gain access. In particular, when 

driving piles through water, the 

additional measures required are 

sometimes more time-consuming, 

more costly than the actual construction measures 

themselves. The principle of the GRB system is that the 

Silent Piler can propel itself along the sheet pile wall, 

driving the sheet piles continuously as it goes. The GRB 

crane is also self-propelled and follows the Silent Piler 

on the sheet pile wall already installed. The crane supplies 

the Silent Piler with the sheet pile sections, which 

are transported along the sheet pile wall using a special 

transport system. Another advantage of the GRB 

system is that traffic on both sides of the sheet pile wall 

remains unaffected during the work. 

TECHNOLOGY 23 


24 TECHNOLOGY 

a GiKEN Silent Piler in 

operation on Berlin’s 

“museum island”. 

The five most important 

museums in Germany’s 

capital city, located on former 

marshy ground in the 

floodplain of the River 

Spree, have been refurbished 

over the past 20 

years. In order to protect 

the valuable buildings and 

their contents, sheet piles 

were installed by pressing, 

essentially without any 

vibration. 

Technology in practice 

This innovative Japanese technology has been used in 

Germany for a number of years. For example, a Crush 

Piler was used for a flood defence scheme in Torgau, 

Saxony. This project involved refurbishing a dyke so 

that the town will be protected against any future floods. 

Double Z-sections in lengths of 6 and 12 m were installed 

using the drilling/pressing system. 

In another project, the GRB system was used for stabilising 

an existing railway embankment on the Gotha– 

Leinefelde line. In this case, it was not only the press itself 

that moved along the sheet pile wall, but also the power 

unit, the crane and the pile transporter. Soil nails in the 

form of single Z-sections in lengths from 8.50 to 12.50 m 

were pressed into the ground parallel to the tracks at 

distances of 4.50 m (left) and 5.00 m (right) from the 

tracks. 

latest sheet pile pressing method for single and 

double piles 

The ECO700S is designed to install single Z-sections up 

to 708 mm wide and single U-sections up to 750 mm 

wide. The ECO1400S is designed to install double 

Z-sections up to a total width of 1416 mm and double 

U-sections up to a total width of 1200 and 1400 mm. 

The double U-press (ECO1400S) has also been successfully 

tested and is now ready for use. 

You can download the new brochure from http://www. 

thyssenkrupp-bautechnik.com/home.html

Silent Piler 

ECO700S 

For installing Z-sections up to 708 mm wide and 

U-sections up to 750 mm wide 

Single 

Single 

Z-sections 

U-sections 

Silent Piler 

ECO1400S 

For installing double piles up to a total width of 

1416 mm 

TECHNOLOGY 25 

double 

double* 

* The ECo1400S is designed to install 600 and 700 mm wide U-sections in 

pairs by changing chuck and clamps. 


26 TECHNOLOGY 

Innovative developments in 

vibration technology 

For more than 50 years, ThyssenKrupp GfT Tiefbautechnik has been regarded 

as an innovative company when it comes to driving and extracting piles. 

The range of products marketed under the Müller brand covers all aspects of 

vibration technology: from small excavator-mounted vibrators to large cranesupported 

units with power packs and the leader-guided vibrators. 

Plus a complete range of accessories 

such as clamps and adapter plates, 

drilling units and measuring and 

logging equipment. Furthermore, 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Tiefbautechnik 

designs and develops bespoke solutions for 

customers and is also involved in special 

developments and designs for the projects 

of the future. 

Crane-supported vibrators with adjustable 

eccentric moment 

Vibrators with an adjustable eccentric 

moment are characterised by the fact that 

their eccentric moment can be adjusted 

directly on site with the help of additional 

pairs of eccentrics to suit the soil conditions. 

They can be set to a high amplitude 

and lower frequency to suit cohesive soils, 

or to the high frequency and lower ampli- 

tude better suited to friable soils. 

The main type of application for this type 

of plant these days is the installation of heavy, 

bulky piles that require a maximum eccentric 

moment and maximum centrifugal force. 

One typical application for the MS-200 

HHF, up until recently the largest vibrator 

in the Müller range, was the installation of 

the large tubular piles needed for anchoring 

the tripod foundations for the wind turbines 

of the “alpha ventus” offshore wind farm. 

(Fig. 2) 

The development towards ever larger 

wind turbines shows that even more powerful 

vibrators will be needed for such projects 

in the future. In order to meet that 

demand, ThyssenKrupp GfT Tiefbautechnik 

has now developed the MS-240 HHF; based 

on the MS-200 HHF, the new vibrator is 

even larger and has an eccentric moment 

that can be adjusted in steps 

up to 240 kgm. The unit is designed 

in such a way that it can 

be coupled with a second unit 

via a synchronous shaft. (Fig. 1) 

As a result, the vibrator’s performance 

is doubled – a de- 

velopment that ThyssenKrupp GfT 

Tiefbautechnik feels will put the 

company in a good position to 

handle the driving tasks of 

the future, especially in the 

offshore wind energy sector. 

One advantage of coupling 

units together is that the vibrators can still 

be used separately for other applications as 

required. 

Performance figures 

Centrifugal force (max.): 10.320 kN 

Eccentric moment (max.): 480 kgm 

Vibration frequency (max.): 23.4 Hz 

Weight: 69 500 kg 

Power consumption (max.): 1648 kW 

Crane-supported vibrators with variable 

eccentric moment 

In Germany, indeed throughout Europe, vibrators 

with a variable eccentric moment for 

resonance-free starting and stopping have in 

the meantime become virtually standard for 

pile-driving operations. The relative adjustment 

of several pairs of eccentrics with re- 

Fig. 1 

Double vibrator MS-240 HHF Twin 

spect to each other during 

starting and stopping the 

vibrator enables the sum of 

the external vibratory force 

and the vibration amplitude 

during these phases to be 

equated to zero at the vibra- 

tor. Only after reaching 

the operating frequency, 

which lies above the 

resonance frequency of 

the soil, are the pairs of 

eccentrics moved so that the centrifugal 

forces of the eccentrics act in the same 

direction and add up to one vertical vibratory 

force. 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Tiefbautechnik has 

added more variable vibrators to its range in 

recent years. Currently, vibrators with a high 

eccentric moment, but therefore a slightly 

lower frequency, or vibrators with a high 

frequency, and therefore a lower eccentric 

moment, are available for every centrifugal 

force class. The customer can then choose 

the best vibrator for the subsoil conditions 

on the site. The MS-20 HFV and MS-28 HFV 

are just two examples, which have now been 

joined by the latest development, the MS-40 

HFV. 

The hydraulic motors of the individual 

vibrators are designed in such a way that 

they ensure an optimum driving torque 

for the shafts on which the eccentrics are 

mounted, coordinated with the output of 

the associated power pack. A version with 

an upgraded output is available as an option 

for each vibrator. These models have a

Fig. 3 

MS-20 HFV vibrator in use 

correspondingly larger, more powerful drive 

unit and hydraulic motors that can handle the 

extra power and increase the driving torque. 

Power packs 

Müller power packs are designed to match 

the output of the corresponding Müller vibrators. 

The output available ranges from 

110 kW and a flow rate of 270 l/min for 

the MS-A 110 to 1050 kW and a flow rate of 

1680 l/min for the MS-A 1050. 

The power packs operate with a closed 

hydraulic circuit and adjustable pumps. The 

advantage of this is a small hydraulic tank 

volume and in turn a lower weight and smaller 

dimensions. Other benefits include smooth- 

er starting and stopping of the vibrator 

without hydraulic pressure peaks at startup, 

which assures a long service life for the 

main components. 

All the power packs comply with the latest 

exhaust and noise emissions regulations. 

With heated diesel engines and hydraulic 

oil tanks, these units can also be operated 

in the winter at extremely low temperatures. 

All the power packs are fitted with the same 

programmable control with wireless or cable 

remote operation and integral operating data 

logging. The control can be fitted with an 

optional GSM modem for remote servicing/ 

monitoring. 

data acquisition 

The MS-EDGR (Electronic Data Geologic 

Report) data acquisition system is essentially 

based on the interim storage of all the data 

from the control of the Müller power pack, 

sending this data via the GSM modem to 

an Internet server and hence providing the 

option of being able to access this data from 

anywhere in the world. 

Besides the plant data saved in the control, 

e.g. oil pressure, vibrator frequency, it 

is possible to measure other geotechnical 

data relevant to the vibration process, e.g. 

the oscillation frequency of the soil (with a 

geophone), or the embedment depth of the 

pile can be recorded via additional inputs. 

The data is sent to the Internet server in 

packets at brief intervals where it is turned 

into a graphic record of the operations. Users 

can log on to the website with a password at 

any time, either during operations or upon 

completion of the work, and call up or print 

out data records via selection criteria such 

as date, building site or a certain aspect of 

driving. 

Fig. 2 

“alpha ventus” – driving tubular piles weighing 

160 t with the MS-200 HHF vibrator 

(source: Alpha Ventus Pressebild) 

TECHNOLOGY 27 

The Internet provider is responsible for the 

overall data management, which means that 

the site management team can concentrate 

on its everyday tasks. 

Excavator-mounted vibrators with 

accessories 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Tiefbautechnik GmbH 

offers a large range of excavator-mounted 

vibrators, with either a fixed or a variable 

eccentric moment. The vibrators are 

attached to the boom of the excavator 

instead of the bucket and are driven by the 

excavator’s hydraulics. 

In the case of the standard vibrators with 

fixed eccentric moment, the use of high-performance 

roller bearings and special materials 

has enabled the eccentric moment of 

6 kgm and centrifugal force of 400 kN to 

be increased to an eccentric moment of 

7 or 9 kgm and a centrifugal force of 600 kN. 

All possible without increasing the size of 

the unit. 

Turning to the variable excavator-mounted 

vibrators, a patented single-lever control 

is now available. With the old form of control, 

the eccentrics were controlled by a second 

lever on the excavator. The advantage of the 

new form of control is that it prevents incorrect 

operation, e.g. swinging out the eccentrics 

while starting up the vibrator, which can 

lead to damaging resonant vibrations. 

The sequence of operations pitching pile 

– clamping pile – increasing vibrations to 

operating frequency – swinging out eccentrics 

into working position – is fixed, like- 

wise swinging in the eccentrics again to the 

neutral position, decreasing the vibrations 

and opening the clamp. 


28 TECHNOLOGY 

Another advantage is that the hydraulic connection to 

the excavator requires only three instead of five hoses, 

i.e. the same as all standard vibrators. This means it 

is not necessary for the excavator to be fitted with an 

additional function, e.g. “rotate grab”, for operating a 

variable vibrator. 

Another new development in the excavator-mounted 

vibrators segment is the modified base plate on the 

more powerful vibrators. This modification permits a 

Fig. 5 

MS-5 HFBV vibrator with 

data logger and reading 

device 

clamping bar with a double clamp (Fig. 4) to be mounted 

directly on the vibrator without the need for an intermediate 

adapter plate (which increases the weight but 

reduces the power) when installing tubular piles. 

One shortcoming in excavator-mounted vibrators up 

to now was the fact that it was impossible to record 

the actual length of deployment because the attachments 

on the excavator are constantly being changed. 

Fig. 4 

MS-8 HFBV vibrator with adjustable 

double clamp 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Tiefbautechnik, working together 

with a renowned research institute, has now developed 

a system that remedies this situation. 

This system consists of a data logger roughly the 

size of a cigarette packet, which is fixed to the vibrator 

where it is not at risk of being damaged, and a reading 

device. Triggered by the vibrations of the excavatormounted 

vibrator, the data logger records the actual 

deployment time. Once the work on the site has been 

completed, the data is called up via the wireless reading 

device. The data can then be used for planning regular 

maintenance or for invoicing according to the deployment 

time of the vibrator, e.g. for hire contracts. (Fig. 5) 

Special developments and bespoke designs 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Tiefbautechnik has responded to customers’ 

requests and developed a power pack certified 

to ATEX equipment directive 94/9/EC for use in areas 

with a risk of explosions. Furthermore, for applications in 

oil exploration, the casing had to be designed according 

to DIN EN 12079 and approved by Germanischer Lloyd. 

Another bespoke development is the underwater 

compactor plate. This is equipped with a large variable 

vibrator, the MS-32 HFVC, and is used for compacting 

large areas of ground underwater prior to the erection 

of marine structures. The static weight of 30 t – to which 

a weight of up to 85 t can be added dynamically via the 

eccentric moment of the vibrator – enables an area of 9 m² 

to be compacted underwater in one operation. Three 

of these units are being used on the MOSE project, a 

huge undertaking designed to protect the City of Venice 

against flooding. (Fig. 6)

Fig. 6 

MS-32 HFVC compactor plate undergoing testing 

Fig. 7 

MS-10 HFV vibrator with 

acoustic hood 

One challenge that faced the designers was that the 

unit had to include all the equipment required for recording 

and analysing the progress of the compaction work 

– and that equipment had to be made waterproof. 

Sound insulation for low-noise operations 

Noise can have a detrimental effect on people’s health 

and therefore noise emissions from construction plant 

are attracting more and more attention. One Japanese 

customer required a vibrator with a noise level 10 dBA 

lower than that of the standard version in order to gain 

approval to operate the plant in an inner-city area with 

restrictions on noise. 

The task was to design an acoustic hood that would 

reduce the noise emissions without affecting the ease 

of servicing or the heat dissipation so crucial to regulating 

the operating temperature. This problem was solved 

by fitting covers with integral sound insulation elements 

around the vibrator, but leaving these open at the top 

and bottom and including openings for servicing. (Fig. 7) 

Summary 

With its broadly based range of products, ThyssenKrupp 

GfT Tiefbautechnik GmbH is well placed to handle 

the growing demands of driving and extraction technology 

in terms of power, economy, environmental 

impact and noise emissions. Innovative ideas will help 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Tiefbautechnik to contribute to 

developing future technologies in the field of renewable 

energy. 

The bespoke solutions shown here are an impressive 

demonstration of how ThyssenKrupp GfT Tiefbautechnik 

can provide an optimum response to customers’ 

requests. 

Contact: 

dr. Johannes Köcher, managing director, 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Tiefbautechnik GmbH 

Tel: +49 (0)6631 781159 

E-mail: johannes.koecher@thyssenkrupp.com 

TECHNOLOGY 29 


30 IN BRIEF 

Review 

A number of events and trade 

fairs took place last autumn. 

Here is a small selection: 

Warnemünder Seminar, 14 october 

2011 

The rostock Branch has hosted the 

Warnemünder Seminar for the third time. 

Senior staff, site managers, design and construction 

engineers from civil engineering contractors, 

consulting engineers and authorities 

attended the seminar in Warnemünde 

on 14 October. Interesting presentations 

provided insights into topics such as “New 

market developments for sheet pile wall 

construction”, “Anchor and plant technology”, 

“The use of modern driving, pressing 

and vibration technology” and “Micropiles in 

steel hydraulic engineering”, which were well 

received by this knowledgeable audience. 

Save the date: 

Trade fair dates in 2012 

12 – 16 April 2012 South-East Europe 

Belgrade Building Expo 

New address! 

New premises for the ThyssenKrupp GfT 

Bautechnik head office and the Hamburg Branch 

Head Office 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik GmbH 

Hollestr. 7a, 45127 Essen, Germany 

acqua alta / BWK Wernigerode / Pile 

Symposium / SiZ Seminar 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik was an exhib- 

itor at Acqua Alta 2011. The new TKR flood 

defence system and the new glass stop 

log system were among the highlights at 

the show. 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik was also 

present at the national congress of 

the BWK (Association of Engineers for 

Water & Waste Management, Agriculture 

& Forestry Engineering) in Wernigerode 

(22–24 September 2011, the “Steel in 

hydraulic Engineering” symposium 

organised by Braunschweig University (29– 

30 September 2011) and the Congress 

of the hTG (German Port Technology 

Association) in Würzburg (7–10 November 

2011). 

Belgrade, Serbia 

2 – 5 May 2012 Conbuild Jakarta, Indonesia 

29 May – 2 June 2012 CTT 2012 Moscow, Russia 

30 May – 1 June 2012 Inter-Transport Odessa, Ukraine 

hamburg Branch 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik GmbH 

Hamburg Branch 

Werner-Siemens-Str. 89, 22113 Hamburg, Germany 

However, the old telephone and fax numbers are 

still valid. Please change our address in your Outlook 

and other computer software. 

E-mail: bautechnik@thyssenkrupp.com 

www.thyssenkrupp-bautechnik.com 

And once again, the annual seminar of the 

SiZ (Safety Information Centre) in Berlin 

on 8 December 2011 attracted many highcalibre 

visitors who took up ThyssenKrupp 

GfT Bautechnik’s invitation to find out about 

the newest technologies in sheet pile wall 

construction. 

New product film on TKR flood defence 

system with bayonet fixing 

A film of the TKR flood defence system 

is available on our homepage. The film is 

an impressive demonstration of how flood 

defences can be set up quickly and simply. 

http://www.thyssenkrupp-bautechnik.com/ 

products/flood-protection.html 

New flood defence case studies 

Our homepage also includes links to new 

case studies of flood defence projects – 

brief descriptions of diverse flood defence 

schemes. 

http://www.thyssenkrupp-bautechnik.com/ 

download.html 

CityBuild, moscow 

CityBuild, the International Exhibition 

of Architecture, Design & Construction, 

Urban Technologies & Urban Infrastructure 

Development, is held every year in Moscow. 

ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik had a stand 

at this event to provide information about the 

company’s system services. 

CityBuild is the only event in Russia 

dedicated to developments in urban infrastructure. 

It is the principal forum for the 

construction industry every autumn. The 

unique appeal of this event is to be found in 

the exhibitors and visitors from all areas of 

urban development.

“Anne” on her first job 

The festive baptism with champagne and naming 

ceremony for the new ABI TM 11/14 on an SR 25 T 

base machine took place directly on the building site 

during the handover and training session so that 

“Anne” could begin her first job immediately. 

It was in February 2011 that Jander Grundbautechnik, based in 

Hennickendorf, Brandenburg, ordered a new TM 11/14 leader with 

5.0 t auxiliary winch, MRZV 12 V vibrator and MDBA 3200 auger drive 

on a Sennebogen SR 25T base machine. And it was in August 2011 

that the customer took possession of the plant at the Niedernberg 

factory. Afterwards, a few minor adjustments were carried out so 

that all the customer's requirements could be taken into consideration 

for the forthcoming contracts. 

The plant was delivered a few days later, on 24 August 2011, 

directly to a site in Berlin ready for its first job: the installation of HEB 

400 sections, also supplied by ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik. The 

festive baptism with champagne and naming ceremony took place 

directly on the building site during the handover and training session 

so that “Anne” could begin her first job immediately – vibrating 

the first H-sections into the ground quickly and in an environmentally 

friendly manner. 

(From left to right:) Mr. Jander, 

owner of Jander Grundbautechnik, 

and his plant operator, 

Mr. Neumann, who carried out the 

first operations. 

Baptising the plant with 

champagne: 

From now on, the new ABI 

TM 11/14 on an SR 25 T 

base machine will be 

known as “Anne”. 

Contact: 

IN BRIEF 31 

mathias himmel, Berlin Branch 

Tel: +49 (0)3375 9217-0 

E-mail: mathias.himmel@thyssenkrupp.com 


ThyssenKrupp GfT Bautechnik Gmbh 

Hollestr. 7a · 45127 Essen, Germany 

Tel: +49 (0)201 844-562313 · Fax: +49 (0)201 844-562333 

www.thyssenkrupp-bautechnik.com · bautechnik@thyssenkrupp.com

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