[Job Story] Liebherr Tower Crane and Drilling Rig at Work for a Dam-raising Project in Austria
Two Liebherr machines are supporting deep foundation works for the dam-raising project at the Wurtenspeicher reservoir in Carinthia, Austria, a key storage asset within the Fragant power plant group. The dam is being increased in height by 7 metres as part of a wider upgrade intended to expand the reservoir’s operating capacity. The expansion aims […] [Job Story] Liebherr Tower Crane and Drilling Rig at Work for a Dam-raising Project in Austria published on The HeavyQuip Magazine.
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Two Liebherr machines are supporting deep foundation works for the dam-raising project at the Wurtenspeicher reservoir in Carinthia, Austria, a key storage asset within the Fragant power plant group.
The dam is being increased in height by 7 metres as part of a wider upgrade intended to expand the reservoir’s operating capacity. The expansion aims to increase storage volume from 2.7 million to 5 million cubic metres of water. Plans include raising the reservoir’s water level by 8.5 metres and widening the dam body. To carry out the works, the reservoir must be fully emptied.
Contractor Züblin is using a Liebherr LB 45 drilling rig for piling operations and a Liebherr HS 8070 HD duty cycle crawler crane for lifting tasks. The site location, at around 1,700 metres above sea level, adds constraints before works even begin. Access is via a narrow mountain road with tight bends and limited space near tunnel sections, putting jobsite logistics at the centre of the planning.
Drilling scope and ground conditions
Züblin is installing pile foundations using the Kelly drilling method. Depending on the soil layer, drilling depths range from 2.7 to 22.5 metres, with a pile diameter of 1,200 millimetres. The overall programme covers a total of 2,800 metres of bored piles.
A secant pile wall designed to seal the dam subsoil is formed by 167 piles. The wall must bind fully into the bedrock across the entire area, which can require reinforcement lengths to be adjusted at short notice. The geological setting is described as demanding, with highly abrasive material in the bore channel and high-strength rock. Work is subject to reduced drilling tolerance, with a maximum deviation of the bored pile wall limited to 1 per cent.
The deep foundation works began in 2025 and are scheduled to be completed this year. The programme is being managed against shorter seasonal windows, as weather can change quickly at altitude and winter conditions may arrive early on the site.
[Job Story] Liebherr Tower Crane and Drilling Rig at Work for a Dam-raising Project in Austria published on The HeavyQuip Magazine.
