New criteria for assessment and higher maximum water levels pose higher requirements for retaining walls and dams. Existing structures must comply with completely new requirements for stability caused by higher freezing pressures, updated earthquake load zones and new requirements in terms of impermeability and position stability or
stability against overturning.For reinforcing and simultaneous rehabilitation, this challenging increase in load bearing capacity can often be reached by a massive anchoring of the dam structure. In this case, boreholes are drilled vertically from the dam crest, and the dam wall is anchored at the bottom using ground anchors. Lift-off suction power can also be overcome by anchoring overflow structures and stilling basins
permanently into the soil using anchors or tensile piles.
Depending on water levels, different load conditions can also be safely absorbed by anchors (in case of tensile load only) or micropiles (even for alternating loads) at retaining dams. Caissons consisting of driven sheet piles are built for cofferdams or
new quays. They are assembled at the head using tie rod systems and thus stabilized against uplift during sand filling and against subsequent loads resulting from dead weight and traffic.
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