WATERWAYS JOURNAL FEATURES LOCK AND DAM PROJECTS

Barnhart has been busy addressing critical infrastructure needs at waterways across the southeast. Their work on three lock and dam projects, including one featured in a blog last month, was recently profiled in Waterways Journal.

These projects utilized both traditional and nontraditional methods for repair and replacement. Traditional work involves a floating crane, while nontraditional methods refer to rigging methods that rely on a structural system across the gate walls.

For a recent project in Kentucky that was featured in the article, Barnhart used traditional methods to replace a set of miter gates. The old gates were scrapped and the new gates were lifted from a transport barge and set using Barnhart’s adjustable rigging link system and a LR 1700 barge crane. No land side support was needed as all operations were self-contained to the barge and river.

A separate project in Alabama used a nontraditional approach. The work was performed using a modular lift tower and a girder system, which spanned the 110’ width of the lock, in conjunction with a 500-ton hoist and slide system.

In the Waterways article, Jeff Latture, Barnhart’s senior vice president was quoted as saying that often project planners don’t consider nontraditional options because they are usually less familiar with those methods.

However, he urged consideration of this approach. “Depending upon the scope of the project, using nontraditional methods could be a safer option and provide lower overall costs.”