Renovation of expansion joints on the A15 near Kerk-Avezaath

21 meters of expansion joint removed on the A15 near Avezaath, reinforcement left completely intact, and process water fully purified and reused.

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Duration

24 hours

Segment

Road & Hydraulic Engineering

Solutions

Reinforcement-sparing demolition

Wastewater treatment

The challenge

REPLACING EXPANSION JOINTS ON A CRITICAL HIGHWAY

Commissioned by Heijmans Infra B.V., ADS was tasked with removing existing expansion joints along the A15 near Avezaath—part of the Rijkswaterstaat main road network—to prepare for the installation of new joint structures. The concrete surrounding the joint, spanning 21 meters with a layer thickness of 100 millimeters, had to be removed with millimeter precision to ensure the new joint could be installed flawlessly. Because the road was fully closed for the project, the work had to be completed within a tight timeframe without damaging the reinforcement or the joint profile.

The process

PLANNED EXECUTION DURING A FULL ROAD CLOSURE

The work was carried out on a Saturday during a full closure of the A15. ADS deployed two demolition robots powered by two hydrodemolition pumps operating at 1,600 bar and 166 liters per minute, supplied by a 123,000-liter Vlerk water basin. The resulting process water was captured immediately and cleaned in four stages via a mobile water treatment plant—ranging from pH correction to lamella filtration—allowing the water to be reused or safely discharged. ADS partnered with Kooiker and their suction truck to handle the removal of water and concrete debris. Once the demolition was complete, Heijmans Infra installed the new expansion joints, making the bridge fully ready for use again.

The solution

REINFORCEMENT-FRIENDLY REMOVAL WITHOUT SHOCKS OR VIBRATIONS

By using hydrodemolition to remove the concrete instead of conventional demolition methods, the reinforcement and joint profile remained completely intact. This method is selective: the concrete is removed without vibrations or shocks that could compromise the underlying structure. Combined with its own water treatment system, ADS was able to work cleanly, safely, and without structural damage on this critical Rijkswaterstaat connection.