THE EMERGENCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF A CRACK IN THE CONCRETE OF THE ABUTMENT OF THE LOWER HEAD OF LOCK № 2 OF THE VOLGA-BALTIC WATERWAY

An analysis of the concrete structures state of the lower head of lock № 2 of the Belousovsky hydroelectric complex of the Volga-Baltic waterway is presented. In 1985, a crack was discovered in the concrete of the left abutment of the lock lower head. Observations for the dynamics of its development have showed that the crack size increases with time. To explain the causes of the crack occurrence and development, an analysis of concrete quality of the lower head structures is made according to the data of previous studies. Taking into account the technology of concreting during the construction process, as well as studies carried out during operation, the low quality of concrete and its heterogeneous structure have been stated. The analysis of the soils structure at the base of the lower head is carried out; the filtration regime of groundwater movement is considered. It is noted that the base soils are represented by fine-grained sands with an interlayer of loams. The presence of several aquifers in the basement soils, as well as the formation of the pressure front of the hydroelectric complex, led to significant gradients of the filtration flow. This contributed to the development of suffusion processes in the soils of the lower head base, which led to the formation of a decompacted layer in the roof of the rocks of the lower head base. The data of modern surveys of soil characteristics confirm that suffusion processes continue at the present time. This led to the occurrence of multidirectional settlement of the right and left abutments of the lower head, which, in turn, led to the development of the crack in the concrete mass. The measures taken to eliminate or stabilize the development of the crack, namely, pumping a cement-sand mixture into the soil, grouting the abutment concrete, anchoring the structure, injecting the concrete mass with a two-component synthetic resin, have not stopped the crack opening, because the main reasons such as the poor quality of concrete and the weak bearing capacity of the underlying soils of the base had not been eliminated.