Altrip: Trenchless rehabilitation secures flood protection at the pumping station

Author: Michel Buonagura, Construction Manager and Certified Sewer Rehabilitation Consultant, Swietelsky-Faber GmbH, Alzey

The pumping station “Am Waldpark” in Altrip is a central component of regional flood protection on the Rhine. As part of the upgrading of the pumping station, Swietelsky-Faber GmbH - Alzey branch - was commissioned by the Verbandsgemeindewerke Altrip in cooperation with the planning office Riedel Ingenieure GmbH (Neustadt a.d. Weinstraße) to rehabilitate the associated discharge pipelines and manhole structures.

Challenge posed by the location beneath the dyke

The discharge pipelines with nominal diameters between DN 500 and DN 1500 as well as the gate-valve manhole structures run directly beneath the main dyke, which serves as a protective barrier against flooding, and end in inaccessible terrain on the Old Rhine. Conventional renewal was not feasible, especially in the event of flooding.

The aim was to ensure the structural, watertight, and operational safety of the facilities in order to exclude possible damage to the dyke body caused by infiltration or scouring.

Flooding delays construction start

The work was originally planned for the low-rainfall months of January to March 2024 - based on weather data from the past ten years. Due to unusually high Rhine water levels in spring 2024, the start of construction was delayed by about three months. The measures could only begin after the floodwaters receded.

Work carried out at a glance

After the lines were approved, the rehabilitation measures were implemented promptly in order to restore safe operation as quickly as possible:

• Trenchless rehabilitation of two discharge pipelines DN 1500
• Trenchless rehabilitation of two discharge pipelines DN 500 to DN 700
• Internal coating and GRP lining of two gate-valve manhole structures with a total area of 110 m²

Sustainable contribution to flood protection

The rehabilitation continues to ensure all structural and hydraulic requirements of the facilities. The trenchless method made a decisive contribution to preserving the stability and integrity of the dyke body and thus securing flood protection in the long term.

Thanks for the cooperative partnership

We would like to thank the Verbandsgemeindewerke Altrip, especially Mr. Jürgen Neubeck, as well as the planning office Riedel Ingenieure GmbH, represented by Mr. Daniel Riedel, for the trust they placed in us and the successful cooperation. Special thanks also go to our experienced team on site, which, with great dedication and expertise, implemented the demanding rehabilitation work under difficult conditions on schedule. We look forward to further exciting projects to protect our infrastructure.