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LafargeHolcim awarded contract for renovation of Afsluitdijk

Published by , Editorial Assistant
World Cement,


LafargeHocim has been awarded a contract with the renovation of one of the Netherlands’ key sea defense infrastructure projects, Afsluitdijk. The project will involve a new, specially developed solution to protect dykes against strong waves and rising sea water levels.

The new Holcim Basalton Quattroblock will cover around 700 000 m2 of the 32 km long dam. LafargeHolcim has also developed a logistics solution that is sustainable and efficient, for the delivery of materials by sea. This avoids additional traffic on the dam. Among the largest infrastructure upgrades in the Netherlands, the total construction costs for the project is around €550 million.

In order to ensure a timely and seamless execution of the project, LafargeHolcim is also investing in the expansion of its Dutch concrete product plant, part of its Solutions and Products segment. Once completed later this year, the expanded plant will be capable of producing 1000 tpd of concrete Quattroblocks for customers in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. The company has more than 40 years of experience in providing state-of-the-art sea defense solutions in the Netherlands. It is planned that the investment will allow the company to grow this business further.

It is expected that the Afsluitdijk construction project will be completed in 2023 and has been called a prime example of Dutch hydraulic engineering excellence. The dyke has protected large parts of the Netherlands against flooding from the Wadden Sea since 1932. 85 years later the dyke is in need of renewal and will be significantly reinforced. It will eventually be able to withstand a storm that could occur once in 10 000 years and will furthermore provide protection against rising sea water levels.

Part of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and water management, Rijkswaterstaat has commissioned the strengthening of the dyke, increasing the discharge capacity, and building pumps to transport more water to the Wadden Sea. Led by the Levvel consortium (BAM, Van Oord, and Rebel) the project construction began at the end of 2018.

The LagargeHolcim solution will be used on the slope of the dyke and dams. Extensive tests have shown that the new Quattroblock is 40% more stable than the previous Basalton columns. A relatively low column height could be used in the design of the Afsluitdijk as a result. This has major advantages in terms of durability, costs, and practicability, etc.

“As part of our Strategy 2022 – ‘Building for Growth’, we have committed to growing the new Solutions and Products segment further,” said Marcel Cobuz, Region Head of Europe at LafargeHolcim. “We are very proud to be a partner in this landmark project that underlines our world class capabilities in supporting challenging infrastructure projects. With sea levels expected to rise further, we are offering solutions that contribute to protecting particularly vulnerable landscapes, such as the Netherlands.”

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/14012019/lafargeholcim-awarded-contract-for-renovation-of-afsluitdijk/

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LafargeHolcim news European cement news Cement news 2018