KMT Service: IBAK system uses ultra-high pressure water jetting to remove 35 tonnes of concrete from the sewer beneath the Mercedes-Benz Arena

Until recently known as the Mercedes-Benz Arena, MHPArena Stuttgart is the home stadium of VfB Stuttgart and one of the city’s main venues for football and other major events. The stadium is located within NeckarPark, Stuttgart’s largest area for sports and cultural events, in close proximity to the Porsche Arena, Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle and the Mercedes-Benz Museum. In 2023, as part of the preparations for UEFA EURO 2024, the stadium underwent extensive modernization, which also presented an unusual challenge for its sewer infrastructure. During construction of the lower tier of the main stand, concrete entered part of the sewer system, completely blocking six sewer reaches. The obstruction was removed using ultra-high pressure water jetting technology and an IBAK MicroGator mobile system. KMT Service, an established trading and engineering company offering IBAK products, provided BalkanEngineer.com with further details about the project.

The MicroGator system comprises a self-propelled carriage, control technology and a colour pan head camera. It is designed for work in sewer rehabilitation and can be used for inspection, cutting with ultra-high pressure water jetting technology, grouting, and the installation of sleeves. For this particular application, the standard equipment carrier configuration was replaced with a special movable tool connection capable of accommodating the nozzle and guiding the ultra-high pressure water hose. The connection allows the tool to be tilted, panned and inclined, enabling precise positioning of the nozzle.

“In this application, a falch ultra-high pressure water jet nozzle was used. It can deliver between 11 and 26 litres of water per minute and allows the water pressure to be continuously adjusted from 600 bar up to 2500 bar. The system is also equipped with a 400-litre water tank, enabling autonomous operation without an external water supply for a limited period of time,” the company explained.

“Within just two months, a total of approximately 35 tonnes of concrete was removed from the sewer system beneath the stadium along a 400-metre route, entirely without excavation. Using the IBAK system solution, the concrete blockage was successfully removed without damaging the pipe substance,” KMT Service added.

Image source: КМТ Сервиз, IBAK