Hundreds of kilometers of shoreline of the Upper Rhine are protected with concrete panels which are joint with each other. In the course of time plants settle in the joints which weaken the structure of the damns. This is a big issue for flood control. Several years ago joints were kept weed free by using herbicides. Due to environmental reasons, herbicides were replaced with manual or mechanical weed control measures.
However on the French side of the Rhine new measures are being assessed.
Due to high labor cost and relatively low effectivity, authorities started to look for new ways to control weeds. After several tests with hot steam yielded excellent results, concrete panels and joints will be treated with steam every year. This saves labor time and brings much better results.
For further information please get in touch with the company MSD Corp., Durbach; Email: info@msd-ag.de