Xin Xia ship lock

A pilot project in lock construction

Infrastructural developments are of great importance in China, with waterway expansion one of the priorities in the country’s twelfth five-year plan. One aim is to create a link between the industrial zones and sea transport routes to further expand international trade. In this particular case, the task at hand was to improve a waterway for the transportation of heavy industry goods and make it navigable at all tide levels.

To this end, a two-lane lock is being built in Jiangyin on the Yangtze river near Shanghai. The lock is made from a combination of steel and concrete which had to be adapted to the general technical conditions. The entrance to the lock is made of highly robust cold-rolled material. For the lock basins, thyssenkrupp Infrastructure supplied hot-rolled sheet piles with a low weight per unit area and a high load-bearing capacity to meet requirements.

The structural requirements of the main wall necessitated the use of high-strength steel in combination with a U-profile. In addition to a high level of stability, this ensures cost-effectiveness thanks to the low weight per unit area. The material used was also coated locally at a Chinese shipyard to protect it from corrosion.

The entire project proved highly economical. Close cooperation between thyssenkrupp Infrastructure and the rolling mill allowed a quick and results-oriented response to challenges in the project with just-in-time deliveries. It was possible to adapt the planned delivery sequence where necessary, eliminating the need for on-site storage and saving costs. Intensive support was also provided in the form of engineering advice and regular site visits.

The lock went to go into operation at the end of 2014. It was an important step in connecting transport routes. thyssenkrupp Infrastructure has made a sustainable contribution to expanding its market in China and its advice is frequently sought in bidding processes for waterway construction, ports and locks. Further projects in this connection with similar requirements will no doubt follow.