Press Release
Symposium at Bauer Spezialtiefbau
Large-scale Projects throughout the World
Schrobenhausen/Germany – The “Schrobenhausen Convention“ has a long-standing tradition: since 1988, BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH has invited large numbers of customers and partners at regular intervals to this symposium, at which new geotechnical and foundation engineering processes and techniques are introduced and large-scale projects from around the world are presented. In early Spring 2011, considerably more than 400 delegates came once again to the Group’s headquarters in Schrobenhausen. In addition to the German speakers, international geotechnical specialists had also been invited for the first time, which resulted in the very first parallel convention in English.
„Over seventy percent of our specialist foundation construction business is carried out outside Germany“ declared Hans Joachim Bliss, Head of the Overseas Division. „It is, therefore, natural that we should also make our presentations on the development of specialist foundation engineering processes and techniques available to our international partners!“ Following the successful launch for visitors from 14 countries, this parallel convention is here to stay as a fixed event. Hans Joachim Bliss was able to welcome guests from Canada and the United States of America, Panama and Colombia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Belgium, Russia, Rumania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Moldova, Kuwait and India.
Prof. Thomas Bauer, Chairman of the Management Board of BAUER AG, also extended a warm welcome to all delegates. BAUER AG, the international construction and machinery company employing over 10,000 people, carries out specialist foundation engineering works all over the world and is the world market leader for the design and manufacture of specialist foundation machinery and equipment.
Michael Jones, Managing Director of the Group’s UK foundation engineering company, opened the symposium with his presentation “Mega Piles in Central London“. Bauer has for some years been involved in underground railway construction works in the centre of the British capital and is currently installing large diameter bored piles for the deep excavations of several London Underground stations.
Under the title “Special Foundation Services for Dams Worldwide – Experiences und further Prospects” Peter Banzhaf presented case histories of a number of large-scale projects. Over the past twenty years, Bauer Spezialtiefbau has rehabilitated several existing dams in different parts of the world by installing vertical cut-off walls to control seepage. Measures to control substrata seepage have also been carried out for the construction of new dams.
Paul Scheller then followed with his presentation: “A Sealing Block installed with the CSM Method - a Project for a Tunnel Bypass in Biel in Switzerland.” On this project a soil cement slurry block was formed by the Cutter Soil Mixing technique stabilizing the prevailing soil formation sufficiently to enable the tunnel boring machine to install the tunnel through the soilmix block.
The project “Bridge Foundations in Water and Rock in Canal Beharnois near Montreal in Canada” was introduced by Sebouh Balian. Here, foundation piles for the Beauharnois bridge were drilled from pontoons into extremely hard rock formations. The project represents an important section of the new motorway around the City of Montreal.
“Diaphragm Walls for Stations and Grout Blankets in 60 m Depth for Cairo‘s Metro Line 3” was presented by Roland Kleina. On this project, not only the subsidiary company Bauer Egypt demonstrated the highest level of know-how, but Bauer Maschinen also operated under the most difficult conditions. Thomas Pavlu, Manager of the Plant Department, then provided an overview of the type of machines and equipment deployed by Bauer Spezialtiefbau under the title "Geotechnical Equipment for Today.“
The overseas visitors were also offered an interesting fringe programme. A visit had been organised to the tunnel construction site at the Mittlerer Ring in Munich, currently Bauer’s largest construction site in the South German region, linking up with the motorway in the direction of the Alps. In addition, delegates were also able to visit BAUER Maschinen GmbH’s In-House Exhibition at the Group’s headquarters in Schrobenhausen at which considerable new and innovative developments in specialist foundation equipment were once again on display.