Raising of the Waterfallboden Dam
Kaprun, Austria
Dam wall rises by 9 meters with Doka
With the raising of the Wasserfallboden dam by around nine meters, the foundation is being created in Kaprun for the new Limberg III pumped-storage power plant, which will in future provide 480 MW of flexible additional capacity for Austria’s energy supply.
The work takes place at over 1,700 meters above sea level – an environment with temperatures far below zero, wind speeds over 100 km/h, and extreme logistical challenges. Thanks to 3D planning, prefabrication, and optimized logistics, the construction cycles could be significantly speeded up – with a concreting rate of around 260 m³ in just three days.
Building type
Dam raising.
Challenge
- 24 blocks with unique angles require precise planning and formwork.
- Curved gallery formwork must safely transfer high concrete loads.
- Accurate water stop placement is critical for precision.
- Assembly must save time while ensuring accuracy.
- Harsh conditions: 1,700 m altitude, sub-zero temps, snow, and >100 km/h winds.
Solution
- Flexible corners and adjustable elements for complex shapes.
- Top 50 trolley with rollers and spindle for efficient load transfer.
- Integrated water stops speed up work and increase precision.
- Special scaffold enables fast, accurate platform setup.
- Pre-assembled formwork, robust platforms, and ladders ensure safety in extreme weather.
Johann Haas | Senior Engineer | Global Expertise Center Power Plants
„In the Limberg III project, we were able to bring in valuable experience from the Spitallamm dam project. This solid expertise, combined with the excellent collaboration between the Global Expertise Center Power Plants and Doka Austria, gave us decisive advantages already during the planning phase and thus enabled a saving of around 300 technician hours."
Doka technology in high-altitude operations
For the complex dam raise, 66 units of the Dam formwork D22 are put into use. This crane-lifted climbing formwork system enables precise and safe concreting even under extreme conditions. The folding platform K provides 700 linear meters of reliable access and optimal working conditions at the dam. The Ringlock modular scaffolding also makes a significant contribution to construction progress – both as a stair tower and as a flexible working platform. Additionally, the Top50 formwork panels reliably support a variety of formwork tasks.
Particularly demanding was "Block 19", which posed high geometric requirements. It was fully planned in 3D, and through model-based planning, precise prefabrication, and intelligent logistics, cycle times of around 260 m³ of concrete were achieved in just three days.
Stefan Pirkner | Senior Project Designer | Engineering Infrastructure Austria
„The dam heightening in Kaprun demonstrates how technical innovation and teamwork go hand in hand. Close collaboration with the Global Expertise Center Power Plants, along with the expertise of Johann Haas, was crucial in meeting the demanding requirements of this exceptional construction project and successfully completing it."
Project data
Year of completion
2027
Project duration
2025-2026
Country
Austria
City
Kaprun
Client
Verbund
Contractor
Swietelsky AG, PORR
Building data
Construction method
Dam raising
Number of concreting sections
24
Cycle time
260 m³ of concrete in three days