Relevance of small-strain stiffness in the deformation analysis of navigable locks

In the planning process for new and the maintenance of existing waterway structures, such as navigable locks, deformation analyses play an important role. Nowadays new locks are often built close to existing locks or other deformation sensitive structures, what leads to soil-structure-interaction related issues to be analyzed. Therefore, the finite element method is applied to model the structures involved and the ground they are embedded in. For two different lock projects the relevance of small-strain stiffness for such analyses was examined using an extension of the Hardening Soil model that accounts for a higher stiffness at small strains.