Fast characterization of carbon/epoxy rings for use in the ball-joints of the Maeslant storm surge barrier

In 2004, the rehabilitation works of the Maeslant storm surge barrier in The Netherlands were finished. The two gates of the barrier are attached to a pivotal point on both banks. The pivotal points are designed as two large ball-joints (10 m diameter) that must allow for both horizontal and vertical movements of the gates. Five hundred individual composite material discs provide a low friction sliding contact with the ball. The composite material consists of a ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene disc, reinforced by a filament-wound carbon/epoxy ring. In this paper, the characterization and qualification tests for the carbon/epoxy rings are discussed. The design of the tests and their numerical validation is presented. It is shown that this combined numerical/experimental approach is essential to obtain reliable results.