Innovation and modernization of Gabčíkovo lock chambers

Abstract From 2019 to 2023, extensive innovation and modernization took place at the lock chambers of the Gabčíkovo waterworks to increase the safety and intensity of the water transport. The waterworks is located on the Danube River about 60 km southeast of Bratislava—the capital of Slovakia. There are two lock chambers (left and right) of similar dimensions. The locks have been in operation since 1992. After about 30 years of operation, their modernization and innovation were carried out. The upgrade of Gabčíkovo locks is a CEF (the Connecting Europe Facility) funded project aiming to upgrade the Gabčíkovo locks to ensure good navigation status in the Slovak part of the Danube and along the Rhine‐Danube core network corridor. The total cost of the modernization was 166 million euros. The innovation of the right and left lock was completed in December 2023. The lower gate, the upper gate, the safety flap gate, the regulation valves, the temporary protection dam of channels, floats, etc. were replaced. The paper focuses on the description of the innovated structures and especially on the description of new concrete structures used to ensure the transfer of forces from steel elements (gates) to the original concrete structure.