The excavation design for the ship lock in Minden, Germany was challenging due to the immediate vicinity to existing structures and the ongoing navigation. The geohydraulic and geomechanic responses to the dewatering and excavation were predicted based on FE models at different levels resolution. Most of the FE parameters were evaluated on the basis of laboratory and field tests as well as on soil and rock samples. An extensive monitoring program was established in order to continuously observe groundwater levels, deformations of slopes and retaining walls as well as excavation induced settlements at neighboring structures. These field measurements revealed the large-scale system response due to dewatering, excavation and construction. A back analysis of the monitoring data based on the numerical models used in the design stage allowed the assessment of the assumptions concerning model structure, boundary conditions and variability or scale-dependence of material properties.
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