The project calls for refurbishing the lock doors and door quoins, which are the sealing surfaces between the lock wall and the steel lock doors. Over time, frequent repairs to the gates had left surfaces uneven.
As part of its contract, CPMT will design, fabricate and fully test two large scale, custom-made vertical milling machines capable of travelling up to 21m in height in a single pass, removing up to 1.5-inches of materials over multiple passes and that could also drill and tap. This milling machine not only will enable machinists to smooth the structures’ surfaces so they will operate better and not leak, but also to complete the repairs on site within a 17 day timeframe required by USACE.
The machine is scheduled to be delivered in March 2010; testing and repairs on the quoins will be completed by May 2010.
The repair work will be funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which earmarked money for USACE for projects such as dam repairs and flood control.
