Apparatus for erosion of hydraulic concrete
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Apparatus for erosion of hydraulic concrete
CONTACT PERSON
José Gilberto Dalfré Filho,
State University of Campinas-Unicamp (Brazil),
dalfre@fec.unicamp.br
THE PROBLEM
Brazil’s energy-expansion planning from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, 2015, called for more than twenty large dams, seven of them to be built in the Amazon region. Water availability in Brazil has ensured a great hydraulic potential for energy generation, transportation, food production and industrial development for many years. Therefore, there are many large dams (in general defined as exceeding 15 m in height) throughout the territory. Most of these dams were completed between 1950 and 1970, to combat droughts and then to energy generation. Thereupon, in the beginning of the 2010 decade, hydroelectric plants over 50 years of age were responsible for the generation of around 1,206 MW of energy. Many of these units are being rehabilitated and repowered. Considering the hydroplants and appurtenances in the Southeast region, the economic development led to a high population concentration and this has been changing the occupation of several of its watersheds, which lead to increased soil erosion. Sediments reach rivers and, eventually, hydraulic surfaces, causing severe erosion. In the North region, one of its main water courses, Madeira River, is known for its characteristic high solids concentration in water. This river hosts two of the five most productive hydropower plants of Brazil: Jirau and Santo Antonio dams. Despite being constructing dams and appurtenances for many years, Brazilian regulation regarding dam safety is recent.
Dam security policies and practices define a check-list, which also asks for the verification of erosion on hydraulic structures, but none is established on how to verify and prevent concrete erosion. Erosion may be caused by the impact of the waterborne silt, sand, gravel, rocks and other debris present in the flow. This type of damage is readily recognized by the smooth, worn-appearing concrete surface. This is an irreversible damage, money consuming and, therefore, requires constant qualitative and quantitative research. This case study has combined an experimental and CFD approaches to erosion-related problems in concrete, and is presented as one of the study cases in Module 4.
Brazil’s energy-expansion planning from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, 2015, called for more than twenty large dams, seven of them to be built in the Amazon region. Water availability in Brazil has ensured a great hydraulic potential for energy generation, transportation, food production and industrial development for many years. Therefore, there are many large dams (in general defined as exceeding 15 m in height) throughout the territory. Most of these dams were completed between 1950 and 1970, to combat droughts and then to energy generation. Thereupon, in the beginning of the 2010 decade, hydroelectric plants over 50 years of age were responsible for the generation of around 1,206 MW of energy. Many of these units are being rehabilitated and repowered. Considering the hydroplants and appurtenances in the Southeast region, the economic development led to a high population concentration and this has been changing the occupation of several of its watersheds, which lead to increased soil erosion. Sediments reach rivers and, eventually, hydraulic surfaces, causing severe erosion. In the North region, one of its main water courses, Madeira River, is known for its characteristic high solids concentration in water. This river hosts two of the five most productive hydropower plants of Brazil: Jirau and Santo Antonio dams. Despite being constructing dams and appurtenances for many years, Brazilian regulation regarding dam safety is recent.
Dam security policies and practices define a check-list, which also asks for the verification of erosion on hydraulic structures, but none is established on how to verify and prevent concrete erosion. Erosion may be caused by the impact of the waterborne silt, sand, gravel, rocks and other debris present in the flow. This type of damage is readily recognized by the smooth, worn-appearing concrete surface. This is an irreversible damage, money consuming and, therefore, requires constant qualitative and quantitative research. This case study has combined an experimental and CFD approaches to erosion-related problems in concrete, and is presented as one of the study cases in Module 4.