Bascule Gates

These gates are used to control the flow of water in a river. The gate structure incorporates a torque tube along the bottom edge which transfers the water load through to the actuator, this is normally a hydraulic cylinder.

Advantages
- The gate installation is unobtrusive.
- Torsion tube allows operation from one side.
- Good overflow discharge characteristics.
Disadvantages
- Limited to short spans due to gate deflection.
- The actuator is located in a pit alongside the water channel and passes through a seal in the side wall giving additional civil costs.