Earthworks on the Volga-Baltic waterway

Conclusions

• 1. The earth structures of the Volga-Baltic waterway (having the same profile with no special watertight cores despite the great diversity of the base soils) have proved to be simple and economic in construction and reliable in operation.

• 2. Careful planning of the bases, which involves removing all soils with a weak bearing capacity, is a guarantee of the reliable work of the earth structures.

• 3. If construction during the winter is necessary the lower portions of the structure should be filled-in in good time so that filling of the riverbed sections can be carried out at a fast rate to avoid freezing of the fill.

• 4. Spanning of the channels of lowland rivers can be accomplished by the pioneer and even by the embankment-free methods provided that damming is carried out in late fall when there is a marked drop of river discharge.