RIVER LAB
Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU) Vienna
A research building with a USP: Thanks to the innovative civil engineering concept of the partly underwater hydraulic engineering laboratory, it is now possible to research how water behaves under real conditions at a scale of 1:1 for the very first time.
Research for the future
The state-of-the-art Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory is making a major contribution to research into water, one of the bases of our very existence, on behalf of future generations. The laboratory exploits the height difference of three meters between the Danube and the Danube Canal to divert water through the building, creating optimal conditions for comprehensive research into such key current issues as hydraulic power, flood protection, shipping, and ecology – all against the background of climate change. And the innovative combination of indoor, outdoor, and public labs means that it is also possible to carry out such research both in the building and outside.
Depending on the research question, we can recreate rivers true to scale and to nature. There is nothing comparable of the same scale anywhere in the world.
Prof. Helmut Habersack
Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and River Research
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU)
10,000 liters per second
The centerpiece of the laboratory is the “Main Channel,” which is located below the water table. Up to 10,000 liters of water from the Danube can be diverted every second through the gigantic 90-meter-long, 25-meter-wide, and 14-meter-high hall – completely without pumps or external energy. This means that full scale (1:1) test rigs can be tested in the Main Channel. A range of closable, differently dimensioned inlet openings individually control the inflow of water in line with the different research activities.
We usually design buildings to keep water out. In the case of the Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory we have done everything possible to divert most of a river through the building. This enables us to create almost natural conditions in the laboratory.
Ursula Reiner
Architect and BIM Manager in Vienna
Innovative civil engineering concept
A particular design challenge was the special civil engineering concept of the partly underground laboratory. Due to the weight of water, the volume of sediment, and the unstable subgrade, numerous measures such as diaphragm walls, lower pressure injections to stabilize the ground, and water retention measures were necessary. A complex system of reinforced concrete and structural steel and timber constructional systems now support the building. Geothermal energy heats and cools the complex via energy-activated bored piles and concrete core activation in the diaphragm walls.
Integrated teamwork
The combination of close interdisciplinary cooperation between the planning partners and integrated design with BIM facilitated not only a lean planning process but also an optimized building concept that meets all the requirements of an ambitious and forward-looking research laboratory. The intensive work with the 3D model and, partly, with VR glasses offered all participants not only an appropriate spatial impression but also an overall understanding of the interdisciplinary coordination and the actual dimensions.
