Abstract
An innovative research-based technology has been applied for the first time in Colombia to improve the navigability of the Magdalena river in a zone of the city of Barrancabermeja, Department of Santander. The result of installation of the submerged vane technology demonstrated its effectiveness in sediment management and motivated its further use as a solution to problems of erosion, scour and meander evolution, which are common occurrence in the rivers of the country. Since this 1991 installation, more than 18 projects have been completed and the technical effectiveness of the system has been improved. Compared to traditional solutions, the results demonstrate beneficial economic impacts due to shorter execution times, reduction in annual maintenance costs, and diminished environmental impacts. Characteristics of design and construction and results obtained from five projects are described that are representative of the diversity of conditions and difficulties for the application of this technology in Colombia. Lessons learned for adaptation by river management authorities are derived from the study.
Highlights
It has been well established in the technical literature that sediment transport in rivers and its associated processes of undermining, aggradation, bank erosion and meandering are the most important problems of river hydraulics
This paper addresses the effectiveness of a river training methodology called submerged vanes, which was developed at the University of Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research (IIHR) and reported through studies by Odgaard and Kennedy (1983) [1]; Odgaard and Spoljaric (1986) [2]; and Odgaard and Wang (1991a) [3]
The question addressed here is how well the technology works in the specific river conditions of Colombia, where river training is necessary due to a large number of nearby roads and the high risks of frequent destruction
Summary
It has been well established in the technical literature that sediment transport in rivers and its associated processes of undermining, aggradation, bank erosion and meandering are the most important problems of river hydraulics Their control and management are indispensable to establishing conditions for navigation, ensuring the supply of water for various uses and preventing the erosion and undermining of bridges, docks and riverbanks, among other structures. Submerged vanes offer substantial improvements over the commonly adopted solution, which is based on methods involving high costs and the requisition of surrounding lands. This technology offers advantages for river stabilization that could facilitate navigation
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