28TS.13

 

13. ANGKOR WAT: West causeway-dike access:

The ad hoc group of experts recommends that:

1. Improve the water tightness of the current cofferdam with a thick outside wrap, such as an unbroken plastic sheet, seamless or with sealed joints, enabling it to perform fully and efficiently its intended role.

2. With H.E. Dr HANG Peou, look into the possibility of lowering the water level of the moats to some extent during the rainy season to help make the cofferdam more efficient.

3. Difficulties are encountered due to the probable contact of the inner fill with water and from risks caused by its instability. Therefore, look into the eventual feasibility of using the inner supporting structure of reinforced concrete, however, not working in the bottom of the trench but rather prefabricating the components aboveground, one at a time, then setting them in place using a crane.

Prefabrication of the individual components in this way could speed up the work and allow a better fitting with the major wall deformations found in the ancient wall.

And it could have the advantage being reversible, which would not be the case if cast in the trench.

4. Consolidate the inner unstable fill with injections, both in-depth and superficial, using an appropriately composed liquid mortar, to improve the stability of the structures during the work phase and to achieve greater final compactness and water tightness inside the causeway-dike. For this operation, give preference to materials that do not generate soluble salts.

5. Compliance with and the structural consistency embodied in the general principle of providing inner reinforcement using modern materials, without dismantling the façade wall, as described earlier and validated, does not, however, rule out making adjustments here and there in using them,

5.1. Either by one-off dismantling work, strictly limited to sections of the façade wall that are excessively deformed,

5.2. Or, wherever apparently feasible, stable, efficient and durable, put in an inner lining of the façade wall with new masonry work of traditional style, but always without dismantling the ancient façade wall kept intact.

6. In any case, the detailed implementation plan should be submitted to the ad hoc expert group’s opinion in due time and before the beginning of the work.