The disaster of '53The DeltaworksThe plan for the DeltaworksFinancesDamsHollandse IJssel StormvloedkeringZandkreekdamVeersegatdamGrevelingendamBrouwersdamVolkerakdamHaringvlietdamOosterscheldedamSt. PhilipsdamOesterdamMaeslantkeringTimelineTotal summary of the damsWhat's changedGuided TourSearch over the siteHelpExtra stuffWho built this site, and how.

Zandkreekdam

GeneralThe planThe construction

First the floating caissons were dragged to their definitive positions. When the tide was perfect and the current low the different parts were sunk to the bottom. On the right place the caissons were filled with sand and pebbles. The caissons were closed with an extra part to give height were necessary. To keep all caissons in place all the parts were embedded in sand. This took nine days to do this. This sand was squirted against the blocks with a speed of 35000 m3 per day. After all the caissons were covered with sand it was totally covered with asphalt. Floating derricks
When all this was finished the made a bridge and a lock in the middle part of the dam. This lock ensured the nautical traffic between Rotterdam, Middelburg, Vlissingen and Antwerpen.
Clocks During the making of this dam there were some points of attention:

- positioning of the components must be done with low tide.

- the current could not be higher than 0,80 m/s.

- there must be enough time to fill the caisson, to place the upper parts and to embed the whole construction to stabilize it.

- the seams must be closed.
Because of these point they calculated that the best moment to do this, was in the last week of April and the first week of May. They started on April 29 1960. On May 2nd they placed another 6 caissons. Because the current was too strong on May 3rd they only could place 4 caissons. After this there remains only an opening of 20 meter. This opening was closed on May 4 with two connected caissons. During placing the connected caissons were dragged against the flow to their final position. The current was 0,75 m/s in western direction. During sinking of the last part the current descended to 0,35 m/s. On May 4 1960 at 14:22h the eastern part of the future Veerse Meer was closed.