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Title:	Structural evaluation of Eisenhower and Snell Locks, Saint Lawrence Seaway, Massena, New York
Authors:	Structures Laboratory (U.S.) Mosher, Reed L. Bevins, Tommy L. Neeley, Billy D.
Keywords:	Concrete testing Eisenhower Lock Finite element analysis Seismic-stress analysis Snell Lock Soil-structure interaction Static-stress analysis Structural evaluation Saint Lawrence Seaway Locks Hydraulic structures
Publisher:	Information Technology Laboratory (U.S.) Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.)
Series/Report no.:	Technical report (U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station) ; ITL-91-4.
Description:	Technical Report Abstract: The Eisenhower and Snell Locks were constructed between 1955 and 1958 as part of an international cooperative effort to build the Saint Lawrence Seaway. The US portion of the project was authorized by the Wiley-Dondero Act of 13 May 1954. This act also created the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) to construct, operate, and maintain the locks. SLSDC contracted with the Corps of Engineers (CE) to design and construct these locks. The CE has had a long history of providing engineering and review assistance to the SLSDC for the two locks. The SLSDC requested the CE through an Intergovernmental Agency Agreement to preform a structural evaluation study of the two locks to determine the adequacy of the existing locks considering present conditions and future needs, and to determine the advisability of their rehabilitation. The study focuses on the internal structural integrity of the chamber wall monoliths at each lock. After an initial visual inspection of the locks, approximately 750 lin ft of 6-in.diam cores were taken by the Mobile District for the laboratory testing program to support the static and seismic analyses. Portions of the cores were subjected to physical testing to develop parameters for the static and seismic analyses. The physical testing for the concrete consisted of tests to find unconfined compressive strength, Poisson's ratio, elastic modulus, splitting tensile strength, specific gravity, absorption, voids, and ultrasonic pulse velocity. Petrographic examinations of three specimens were conducted on the in-place concrete from Eisenhower and Snell Locks. Three typical concrete chamber wall monoliths were analyzed: a north and a south wall at Eisenhower and a north wall at Snell. Each monolith was analyzed for three loading conditions: normal operation with upper pool in the chamber, normal operation with lower pool in the chamber, and the maintenance condition with the chamber fully dewatered. For static loading and with the current condition as analyzed, the chamber wall monoliths at Eisenhower and Snell Locks show no evidence of being overstressed. The results of the static analyses show that the chamber wall monoliths have tensile stresses below 200 psi and compressive stresses less than 1 ,000 psi. These stress levels are below any of the strengths determined from the laboratory testing program (390 psi for tensile splitting tests and 3,660 psi for compression tests). A response spectra seismic analysis was performed for a north chamber wall monolith at Eisenhower. The response spectra (Operating Basis Earthquake (OBE)) and Maximum Credible Earthquake (MCE)) developed from the geological-seismological investigation were used to perform the linear dynamic stress analysis. For both the OBE and MCE conditions, catastrophic failure of the lock wall is unlikely to occur. No damage should occur during the OBE event with a maximum principal stress of 300 psi. There is a possibility of damage to the structure during the MCE event near the top of the structure where the sloping face transitions into a vertical face. If damage does occur during the MCE event, no more than about 5 to 10 percent of the section would be damaged. NOTE: This file is large. Allow your browser several minutes to download the file.
Rights:	Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/11681/10845
Appears in Collections:	Technical Report