Reliable sealing for a key Dutch navigation route
Discover how Bentofix® BZ 13-B was used to waterproof around four kilometres of the Juliana Canal in the Netherlands. Project-specific engineering, full-scale testing and coordinated installation supported reliable canal sealing under demanding hydraulic conditions.
The Juliana Canal is an important inland navigation route in the Netherlands. As part of a major widening and rehabilitation project between Berg aan de Maas and Born Lock, around four kilometres of canal bottom and slopes required a new, reliable waterproofing system. Commissioned by Rijkswaterstaat and executed with Van den Herik as main contractor, the project demanded reliable sealing performance under the specified project conditions and efficient installation within a construction period of only around seven months.
Reliable sealing under demanding hydraulic and construction loads
During operation, the canal lining is exposed to significant hydraulic and mechanical loads, including ship-induced currents and translation waves. The normative near-bed current velocity exceeds 1.2 m/s. In addition, the gravel- and stone-rich Limburg subsoil and the planned hydraulic engineering stone cover placed high demands on the robustness of the waterproofing system. Before installation, the solution therefore had to demonstrate hydraulic performance, mechanical resistance and suitability for the specific site conditions.
Bentofix® BZ 13-B combines sealing and protection
Naue supplied and installed Bentofix® BZ 13-B on the canal bottom and slopes. The geocomposite waterproofing system combines a bentonite-based mineral sealing component with an integrated sand-filled protective layer and nonwoven geotextile. This configuration provides reliable sealing while protecting the system against the installation stresses and subsequent placement of stone cover layers.
Naue’s scope also included project-specific design, structural analysis, robustness assessments, installation trials, execution planning and detailed connection design.
Full-scale testing before installation
Field trials reproduced the gravelly subsoil, stone cover and severe mechanical loading expected on site. Tests included a crawler crane travelling across the stone-covered system and the simulated effect of a towing vessel’s anchor moving over the revetment. The Bentofix® BZ 13-B mats showed no damage and were approved for the project-specific conditions.
Coordinated installation on more than 450,000 m²
Installation was carried out simultaneously in three work sections with dedicated teams and close coordination between Naue, Van den Herik, Boskalis, Jac Rijk and other partners. More than 500,000 m² of waterproofing system were supplied, resulting in a net Bentofix® installation area of 450,073.52 m². During peak construction, six to twelve truckloads were delivered directly from production to site each day, supported by comprehensive quality control in Naue’s materials laboratory.
After installation, the system was covered with hydraulic engineering stone in different gradations, creating a lining designed for the canal’s specified hydraulic and operational requirements.
A large-scale reference for hydraulic engineering
The Juliana Canal project demonstrates the suitability of Bentofix® BZ 13-B for large-scale canal waterproofing under demanding hydraulic, mechanical and logistical conditions. Project-specific engineering, full-scale testing, coordinated logistics and close cooperation between all partners enabled a robust solution implemented across approximately four kilometres of canal.
Project benefits
Designed for reliable sealing
The bentonite-based sealing layer provides waterproofing for demanding canal and hydraulic engineering applications
Large areas. Tight schedules. Coordinated installation.
Bentofix® BZ 13-B was installed across large surfaces within the demanding construction programme.
- Project name
Replacement of the existing clay sealing layer with a Bentofix® BZ 13-B at the Juliana Canal, km 16.8 – 20.8, The Netherlands
- Client / owner
Rijkswaterstaat, Utrecht, The Netherlands - Main contractor:
Van den Herik-Sliedrecht, The Netherlands - Subcontractors / construction partners:
Jac Rijk, Boskalis and further project partners - Contractor / system partner:
Naue Group with contractual partner Naue Netherlands B.V.
- Product
Bentofix® BZ 13-B - Completion date
3 March 2026
No. 01300
