1. Third Set of Locks: From Conceptual
Design until RFC Design
Pablo Arecco
PIANC YP-Com Chairman / MWH Global
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2. From 2007, the story keeps going…
• Prequalification period: 4 months.
• Tender Design: 14 months from 2008.
US$ 3,221,631,384.00
Best technical
proposal
Design
& Build
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3. Design of the Third Set of Locks
CICP Design Integration Office and Design Centers
Design phases: Preliminary, Intermediate, Final, Release for Construction,
Optimization & As Built (Engineering services during construction).
Tetratech Bellevue
MWH - Chicago
IV-Infra - Rotterdam Netherlands
Sembenelli - Milano, Italy
Panama
MWH - Buenos Aires
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4. Design of the Third Set of Locks
Engineering Discipline Interfaces
• Hydraulic
• Geotechnical
• Seismic
• Lock Heads & Rolling Gates / Culvert Valves
• Mechanical / Electrical / I & C
• Buildings (by Others)
• Site Development & Infrastructure
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5. Components of each new Lock Complex
Three Lock Chambers and four Lock Heads in each site
Upper Chamber
Middle Chamber
Lower
Chamber
Lock
Head 4
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19. Atlantic & Pacific Locks
Major differences
• Use of existing 1939 excavations for New Locks
• Geology (Sandstone vs. Basalt)
• Excavation, slope protection & rock restitution
• Availability of concrete aggregate at Atlantic
• Seismic criteria / Fault zones
• Lock floor slabs
• Borinquen dams / Approach channels
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20. Lock chamber components
For each type a structural model was identified for the design
Lock Head
Lock Walls with
central connection
Typical
Lock Walls
Crossunder
23 monoliths per side per chamber
7 types of structural Lock Walls
Several loads combinations
Chamber
Conduit
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21. Lock Chamber monolith walls
Pacific & Atlantic Lock Wall monoliths are different
August 2012
Lock Wall
Typical
Monolith
up to 350
Final concrete volumes: Lock walls ≈ 2.100.000 m3
Lock heads ≈ 1.200.000 m3
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23. Finite Elements Models with Abaqus®
Lock Walls
(Concrete)
Lock Head
Small
Recess
(Concrete)
Rock
Foundation
(Gatún
Rock)
Lock Head
Large Recess
(Concrete)
Rolling
gates
(Steel)
Lock Head
Slab
(Concrete)
Backfill
(Gatún
Rockfill)
Lock Walls
(Concrete)
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25. Lock structures - Seismic criteria
Earthquake level & performance criteria
Level I
475 years
Level II
950 years
• No service disruption
• Reparable damage
• Structure essentially elastic
ATL 0,33g
PAC 0,52g
• No collapse
• Reparable damage
• Limited non linear behavior
ATL 0,42g
PAC 0,72g
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26. Concrete reinforcement
Weight 190,000 tonnes or 26 Eiffel Towers
Final design quantities reduction
maintaining same Design Req.:
• Concrete and excavation of over
10% compared to tender
• Reduction in reinforcement of 40%
(around 17 Eiffel Towers)
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