Hydraulic Infrastructure Research Articles

Assessment of Climatic and Anthropogenic Controls on Bridge Deck Drainage and Sediment Removal

Bridge deck drainage is essential to prevent hydroplaning and maintain safety along major roadways. With projected changes in climate, current designs may not be sufficient and a better understanding of the primary controls (climate, bridge deck, and inlet design) on the hydraulic efficiency and sediment removal of drainage systems is needed to maintain public safety. To evaluate the controls on hydraulic drainage efficiency, 576 controlled laboratory experiments were conducted testing grate type (rectangular bar vs. curved vane) and downspout configuration (square vs. circular and 20 cm vs. 25 cm) across a range of flow rates, cross slopes, and longitudinal slopes. An additional 144 sediment erosion experiments were performed to identify controls on the removal of sediment. Hydraulic testing indicated that inflow driven by climate is a primary control on drainage efficiency and spread of water on a roadway. For anthropogenic controls, downspout opening size was found to be the primary control followed by longitudinal slope. Sediment removal results indicated that inflow regime and grate type were the primary controls on the sediment removal rate. Given that inflow, driven by climate, is a control on both hydraulic and sediment removal performance, hydraulic engineers should consider forecasted changes in rainfall intensity in their present-day drainage designs. We provide design guidance and discussion for developing a proactive approach to hydraulic infrastructure in the face of future climate uncertainty.

Improved assessment of maximum streamflow risk management of hydraulic infrastructures. A case study.

Understanding the risks associated with the likelihood of extreme events and their respective consequences for the stability of hydraulic infrastructures is essential for flood forecasting and engineering design purposes. Accordingly, a hydrological methodology for providing reliable estimates of extreme discharge flows approaching hydraulic infrastructures was developed. It is composed of a preliminary assessment of missing data, quality and reliability for statistically assessing the frequency of flood flows, allied to parametric and non-parametric methods. Model and parameter uncertainties are accounted for by the introduced and proposed modified model averaging (modified MM) approach in the extreme hydrological event's prediction. An assessment of the parametric methods accuracy was performed by using the non-parametric Kernel Density Estimate (KDE) as a benchmark model. For demonstration and validity purposes, this methodology was applied to estimate the design floods approaching the case study ‘new Hintze Ribeiro bridge’, located in the Douro river, one of the three main rivers in Portugal, and having one of Europe's largest river flood flows. Given the obtained results, the modified MM is considered a better estimation method.

Alicia Torres Rodriguez

This document analyzes some strategies based on the Supply Management Model for the supply of drinking water to the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area. To do this, the behavior of variables related to policies focused on supply management is examined, such as the design of projects and construction of hydraulic infrastructure by official institutions and based on the investments made, an analysis method is established to determine the impact of the sunken cost generated as a result of not making use of the infrastructure works already built. As part of the water management model based on demand, some strategies for the efficient use of this resource are integrated, through alternatives of water-saving technologies to be implemented in the field of domestic use.It is concluded that water management models historically in Mexico and particularly in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area (zmg) have been using water resources associated with supply policies where the institutional argument has been based on the fact that to satisfy the growing demand for water due to the constant population growth, the construction of new supply sources is essential, without taking into account other alternative solutions.

Quantifying Uncertainty of Probable Maximum Flood

AbstractProbable maximum flood (PMF) has been used in large hydraulic infrastructure design for decades. However, a complete framework for deriving PMF with uncertainty analysis is lacking. This st...

A review of methods to account for impacts of non-stationary climate data on extreme rainfalls for design rainfall estimation in South Africa

Frequency analysis of extreme rainfall and flood events are used to determine design rainfalls and design floods which are needed to design hydraulic structures such as dams, spillways and culverts. Standard methods for frequency analysis of extreme events are based on the assumption of a stationary climate. However, this assumption in rainfall and flood frequency analysis is being challenged with growing evidence of climate change. As a consequence of a changing climate, the frequency and magnitude of extreme rainfall events are reported to have increased in parts of South Africa, and these and other changes in extreme rainfall occurrences are expected to continue into the future. The possible non-stationarity in climate resulting in changes in rainfall may impact on the accuracy of the estimation of extreme rainfall quantities and design rainfall estimations. This may have significant consequences for the design of new hydraulic infrastructure, as well as for the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure. Hence, methods that account for non-stationary data, such as caused by climate change, need to be developed. This may be achieved by using data from downscaled global circulation models in order to identify non-stationary climate variables which affect rainfall, and which can then be incorporated into extreme value analysis of a non-stationary data series.

Detailed simulation of storage hydropower systems in large Alpine watersheds

Most mountain catchments worldwide are exploited for hydropower production causing significant alterations of their natural regime. Hydrological and water resources modelling in these catchments is challenging because the alterations of natural streamflow caused by hydropower production are often significant, while capturing their variability in space and time requires critical data concerning the hydraulic infrastructures and their operational schedules. These data are difficult to acquire, thereby hindering the possibility to correctly simulate the complex interaction between the natural hydrological cycle and water uses. To overcome these limitations we propose a framework that relies solely on publicly available data which provides accurate simulation of both streamflow and hydropower production. The proposed framework is illustrated by means of the HYPERstreamHS hydrological model applied to the Adige catchment, a large watershed of the south-eastern Alpine region whose streamflow is strongly impacted by 39 large hydropower systems, 22 of which connected to storage reservoirs, with an overall mean annual production that accounts for about 14% of the total Italian hydropower production. We analyzed the impact on modelled hydropower production of commonly adopted simplifications in the production schedule as well as of the hydropower systems, which are often characterized by a complex infrastructure with several interlinked derivations and conveyance intakes. Our simulations highlight how an accurate topological representation of hydraulic infrastructures is crucial to correctly represent water transfers, more important than capturing the operational schedules when reservoir oscillations are a small fraction of the total head. On the contrary, scheduling is important for systems in which reservoir oscillations account for a significant portion of the total head. Furthermore, we show that simplifications motivated by difficulties in data collection combine in a non-linear manner with an overall impact difficult to assess. We propose this framework for accurate modelling of hydropower production at regional and national scales, particularly in studies dealing with the projection of climate change and competing uses on water resources and renewable energy.

Multioutlet Hydrants in Mediterranean Pressurized Irrigation Networks: Operation Problems and Hydraulic Characterization

Multioutlet hydrants as joint network infrastructure remain briefly addressed in the literature. Studies have always been limited to the individual treatment of the hydraulic components but not as a whole element. This study presents the main problems in the field of multioutlet hydrants within hydraulic infrastructure for pressure irrigation networks in Mediterranean agriculture. First, a field study with interviews was carried out in 30 water users associations (WUAs) between 2010 and 2018. Following this study, a laboratory test methodology was proposed to characterize this type of hydrant. Subsequently, four laboratory tests were performed on 12 multioutlet hydrants with different and common configurations found in irrigation networks: (i) head losses produced, (ii) global measurement precision in the multioutlet hydrant, (iii) blockage analysis in meters in vertical orientation, and (iv) hydrant behavior in response to hydraulic transients. The tests show that a horizontal configuration of the measuring elements with fewer than ten outlets and a suitable dimensioning of elements improve element maneuverability, instrument metrology, and irrigation emission uniformity. Finally, the importance of adequate design, dimensioning, and maintenance of the multioutlet hydrant devices is evidenced as a key point for the adequate management of collective pressure irrigation networks.

Temporal change of extreme precipitation intensity–duration–frequency relationships in Thailand

Abstract Due to climate change, many research studies have derived the updated extreme precipitation intensity–duration–frequency relationship (IDF curve) from forecasted sub-hourly rainfall intensity time series, which is one of the most important tools for the planning and designing of hydraulic infrastructures. In this study, the IDF curves (1990–2016) of the six regions and procedures are used in accordance with those of the Royal Irrigation Department (RID)’s study (1950–1988). Each set of IDF relationships consists of 81 intensity values which are the combination of nine durations and nine return periods. The intensity ratios of this study and RID are compared. A greater-than-1 ratio indicates extreme intensity increment from the past to the present. Considering 81 ratios for each region, the number of greater-than-1 ratios for the North, Northeast, Central, East, West, and South regions are 8, 2, 31, 34, 6, and 7, respectively. These ratio numbers are far below 81 which means that the majority of extreme rainfall intensities do not increase from the past to the present. The study found that using accurate historical sub-hourly rainfall time series to create a set of IDF curves would be more reliable than using forecasted rainfall modeling.

Study on the hydrothermal coupling characteristics of polyurethane insulation boards slope protection structure incorporating phase change effect

The canals are essential for agricultural irrigation, shipping and industry as important hydraulic infrastructure. In the seasonal freeze regions, the water conveyance canals are damaged due to the effects of freeze–thaw cycles. The freeze depth of soil in the water transfer canal varies considerably due to changes in temperature and water content. This paper compared the relationship of freeze depth, temperature and water content by field tests and numerical calculation methods by incorporating phase change. The results from present study showed that the decrease in temperature causes the water in the soil to freeze, the ice front migrated downwards, and the water in soil below ice front gradually migrated towards the ice front resulting in a large difference in water content of the soil before and after freezing. The Polyurethane insulation board + Concrete board slope structure (PC) as an insulation slope structure was proposed in this paper to mitigate the effect of freezing and thawing on the water conveyance canals. The freeze depth decreased significantly under the protective effect. In addition, this paper compared the anti-frost effect of different thicknesses of polyurethane insulation boards, and the results provided a reference for the anti-frost design of water conveyance canals.

Inside‐out: Chinese academic assessments of large‐scale water infrastructure

AbstractLittle is known in the international academic community about Chinese‐language research on water management. To remedy this deficit, this paper reviews current mainland Chinese understandings of the role of large‐scale water infrastructures as tools of water resources management. We reviewed 461 papers published in mainland Chinese journals by Chinese scholars. This review suggests that the dominant approach to water management reflects the confines of government priorities—large‐scale, concrete‐heavy, infrastructure‐based means of moving water around the country so as to meet demands and stimulate economic growth. Suppression of critical voices means that infrastructure is generally rendered apolitical: the critiques are about practical issues, such as technological, managerial, or administrative problems. There are exceptions to this characterization that adopt more critical frames; however, they reflect on water management elsewhere or in the past rather than on contemporary China. While these more critical papers are interesting and important contributions to our understanding of the politics of hydraulic infrastructures, the literature as a whole says little about the politics of infrastructure in China now. In effect, much of the literature in Chinese on water management in China simply acts as an arm of a machine—a network of corporations, universities, international institutions, and arms of the government, together tasked with identifying and framing what are water management issues, formulating standardized procedures for tackling those issues, and then constructing solutions to them.This article is categorized under: Engineering Water > Planning Water Human Water > Water Governance

Lost Landscape: A Combination of LiDAR and APSFR Data to Locate and Contextualize Archaeological Sites in River Environments

Over the last few decades, river landscapes have been significantly transformed as a result of increased human impact. This transformation is evident in areas such as the middle Guadiana basin, where the impact of both agricultural and hydraulic infrastructures has led to the decontextualization of archaeological sites, resulting in a disconnection between archaeological sites and their own physical environment. In order to analyse the location and geographic contexts of sites from the first Iron Age in the middle Guadiana basin and to detect the existence of human settlement patterns, we designed a methodological approach that combines LiDAR and APSFR data (areas with potential significant flood risk). The main purpose of this method is to detect flood areas and assess the relationship between them and archaeological sites. The result allowed us to obtain a clearer understanding of these societies, their knowledge of the physical environment, and the causes and reasons behind their occupation of certain sites. The validation of the results demonstrated the versatility of this methodological approach, which can be extrapolated to analysing other regions and historical periods.

Optimized behavior of long-term rainfall for the red sea semi-arid region

Precipitation is one of the most significant variables with an impact on the environment, agriculture, as well as the design of any hydraulic infrastructures. The rainfall analysis predicts the highest, average, and minimal values of rainfall that are expected in certain catchments for return periods. The long-term variability of rainfall over the Arbaat watershed was studied at the various stations in a duration (day, month, and year) from 1942 to 2010 rainfall runoff using the Isohyetal Map of the area besides using different plotting position formulae of rainfall ratios. This statistical analysis will offer valuable data for water resource planners for Port Sudan, farmers, and Red Sea Water Corporations engineers (RSSWC) to evaluate the availability of water and create the storage accordingly. From the rainfall-depth analysis outcomes, the rainfall pattern was found to be irregular. Although the historical data was used, the meteorological observation of Suakin, Sinkat, and Arbaat stations was stopped from work. However, Port Sudan station gave reliable results without resorting to precipitation data measured by the satellites. Besides, the outcomes of this study can provide rational guidelines and policy concerning water resources to preserve the health of several ecosystems in the regions of under study.

Evaluation of Geology and Hydrogeology of the Water Leakage in Hammam-Grouz Dam, Algeria

Water has been known since antiquity as the catalyst and survival of mankind. Therefore, hydraulic structures have been constructed to resolve various hydraulic problems which are exposed such as: pollution, eutrophication, accelerated siltation, intense evaporation and water leakage. In Algeria, the problem of water leaks has appeared in many dams, among them the Hammam Grouz dam in the north-east of the country. Indeed, the hydro-technical work is considered as the most threatened in the country by this thorny problem. During the period between 1984-1987, there is a lack of suitable site for dam construction in this area led the services concerned to build this infrastructure in a cluse composed of limestone (Cenomanian) moderately karstic which are characterized by dissolutions concentrated along the joints. This site was consolidated and sealed during the construction of the dyke dam that allows its exploitation before a real test. However, it should be noted that the water level rose above the normal reservoir level for the first time (January 26, 2003) showed that this site can no longer withstand the strong pressure forces caused by the coastline water. In fact, significant water leaks have appeared at the lower gallery and downstream foot of the right bank. The following variation of water leaks over time, it can be observed that a convergence of stability of the level of the water level in the bowl to levels not exceeding 718 m which is the equivalent of less than 1/3 of the original storage capacity of the dam. The appearance of significant water leaks at the Hammam Grouz dam as soon as the spill was first discharged indicated that the sealing works carried out during the construction of the dyke had either lost their effectiveness or they were not perfect. The settlement works carried out today at the level of the basin and the banks of this hydraulic infrastructure. Despite having minimized the flow of the resurgences that appeared downstream of the dike, they did not solve the problem definitively. This may result in the appearance of a place of water leaks. Indeed, during the hydrological year 2007/2008, the appearance of a vortex in November 2007 within the lake rendering the dam of Hammam Grouz useless because it was empty during the first three months of the year 2008, in addition to the water loss that threaten them. This phenomenon floods the lower gallery of the dyke with each rise of the level of water beyond a limit threshold. Hence, it is impossible to perform some monitoring related to stability control. The harmful effects of the problem of water leakage, the stability of the dike and the quantity of water stored, especially with water scarcity in this semi-arid region, require treatment of this phenomenon. The most adapted techniques are the use of sealing materials. Having the same characteristics as the places to be waterproofed and which adapt sufficiently to their geological formations, the allocation of sealing works to a highly qualified co-contractor, are of great importance in order to provide satisfactory sealing results to make it watertight in order to operate it properly. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2021-02-03-08 Full Text: PDF

GIS-based Assessment of Morphological and Hydrological Parameters of Ribeira dos Socorridos and Ribeira do Vigario Basins, Madeira Island, Portugal

The main objective is to identify hydraulic and hydrologic features of drainage basins of Ribeira dos Socorridos, and Ribeira do Vigário located in Madeira Island, (Câmara de Lobos).So, the research analyzed, theoretically, the sediment transport in the above-mentioned cases, and consequently, possible measures for torrential correction were studied. Thereby, hydrographic, geological, and hydrological features of this Archipelago were analyzed in the first phase. Thus, a geographic framing of drainage basins was made - using digital terrain models and deep characterization of the understudy drainage basins. In this regard, it was possible to obtain data regarding the geometric, relief, and drainage system components, using the Geographic Information Systems (GIS).In fact, the use of GIS makes it possible to characterize all descriptive indices/parameters of a hydrographic basin. These indices/parameters linked to the region's climate explain the need for human intervention to construct river hydraulic infrastructure and implement mitigation measures.Moreover, torrential correction techniques were presented to anticipate and mitigate this typology of events. Contextually, this study provides us several goals to consider in the future, including the most relevant actions and guidelines to enhance the characterization of drainage basins and clarify the characterization and accounting of sediment transport.

A decision support system to design water supply and sewer pipes replacement intervention programs

Asset management in hydraulic infrastructures aims for the long-term sustainability of water distribution and wastewater networks. Strategic maintenance planning has thus been deeply analyzed in the literature for individual water and sewer pipes. However, water utilities do not plan and perform replacement activities on individual elements, but rather on coherent aggregations of neighboring pipes. We have developed a decision support system (DSS) to help water utilities design intervention programs for hydraulic infrastructures. It integrates a two-stage algorithm that groups water supply and sewer pipes into practical and efficient replacement works, based upon their proximity and their priority of renewal. A multi-objective genetic algorithm optimizes the work programs configurations while integrating the water company's strategic policy into an innovative multi-objective function. We have applied our methodology to a large water company in Spain and illustrated this application with a sensitivity analysis to determine how the company's strategic criteria influences the resulting work configurations.

A Continental Assessment of Reservoir Storage and Water Availability in South America

This study presents the first continental assessment of water storage and its influence on the availability of water of the river systems of South America. Although hydraulic infrastructure has the potential to cause several impacts on river systems and the environment, their relevance in water resources systems is irrefutable. The human services that dams and reservoirs provide to society, e.g., hydroelectricity, water supply, irrigation, or flood control, are vital services that society requires to develop. Despite this fact, the interactions of dams and reservoirs in the river systems of South America have not been explored from a hydrological perspective. In this study, we present the first assessment of the potential effects of water storage at a basin scale in South America. For this purpose, first we present an analysis of the current conditions and the influence of water storage in the basins of the continent. Then, we estimate the potential water availability of each basin, to evaluate the role of water storage in the availability of water in the continent. Our findings indicate that the ‘Colorado’ and ‘Negro’ basins in Argentina are the most influenced by water storage in the continent. Moreover, our results suggest that reservoirs improve the potential water availability capacity, particularly in the southern basins of the continent. With this study, we expect to provide helpful insights about the current interactions of reservoirs with the river systems of the continent.

Unpacking Decades of Multi-Scale Events and Environment-Based Development in the Senegalese Sahel: Lessons and Perspectives for the Future

A major challenge faced by human societies is to promote development that truly makes difference for people without jeopardizing their environment. This is particularly urgent in developing countries where, despite decades of development programs, local populations often live under poverty thresholds. With this study, we participate in the ongoing debate about the necessary global revision of development theory and practice in the rural Sahel. We retrace the development trajectories in the Ferlo, the northern silvopastoral zone of Senegal. We highlight how development has evolved from the 1940s to the present, from centralized development action programs focused on hydraulic infrastructure to current polycentric development with growing environmental concerns. We highlight multi-scale events that have influenced the successive development paradigms in the area. Focusing on the past thirty years, we analyzed twenty-five environment and natural resource management-oriented projects, describing the evolution of their objectives and actions over time and identifying recurring flaws: redundancy, lack of synergy, and questionable relevance to local needs We put forth that a more resilient thinking-based development paradigm is necessary to guide the growing number of environment-oriented development actions, including the African Great Green Wall, for which massive investments are ongoing throughout Ferlo and across the Sahel.

Impounded rivers, compounded injustice: contesting the social impacts of hydraulic development in Laos

ABSTRACT Laos has rapidly expanded its hydraulic infrastructure, creating profound environmental, economic and social ruptures. We combine frameworks of environmental justice with political ecology to examine the multiple expressions of water injustice evident in three hydropower project case studies involving resettlement. We find that livelihood restoration measures have not ameliorated, but reproduced underlying problems of poverty, inequity, exclusion and coercive expressions of social injustice. These are viewed as the structural outcomes of political choices. We conclude that there is little potential for a water justice paradigm in Laos without significant reforms to the national frameworks for water governance and human rights.

Hybrid causal multivariate linear modelling (H_CMLM) method for the analysis of temporal rivers runoff

This paper describes the joint development of two different methods for temporal riveŕs runoff assessment. This is performed through a hybrid approach by means of Multivariate General Linear Models (MGLM; inspired by MLR as a statistical method), and Causal Reasoning (CR; as non-linear ones). This innovative methodological approach, named Hybrid Causal Multivariate Linear Modelling (H-CMLM), is mainly aimed to empower the analysis of temporal hydrological records behaviour. H-CMLM has been successfully applied to three different Spanish basins (Adaja, Mijares and Porma) which were chosen due to their disparate features. Results were divided in quantitative and qualitative. Numerical results show a very high level of equivalence between the average value of temporal dependence provided by MLM module and the continuous behaviour of temporal dependence computed by CR module and visualized through Dependence Mitigation Graph (DMG). This high coherent outcome from both modules makes the analysis much more robust from a stochastic hydrology point of view. Values for average temporal dependence are very useful for the optimal dimensioning of hydraulic infrastructures like reservoirs. Furthermore, given the annual scale of the analysis, water planning and management of several water uses such as domestic water supply, agriculture, industrial demands, among others, can be highly assisted by this new H_C-MLM method.

Numerical investigation of inertial sphere impaction on a cylinder in subcritical flow

This study examined the accuracy of a Lagrangian scheme for simulating both the motion and wall impaction of neutrally buoyant inertial spheres (8.85 St 18.04) moving in the subcritical regime (Re = 10,972 and 22,366) of flows past a circular cylinder. The accuracy of the eddy-resolving simulations of the flow field was verified based on available data at nearly comparable flow conditions. The accuracy of the particle tracking scheme was verified with respect to corresponding experimental data in a laboratory flume. Particle dispersion en route to the circular cylinder is mostly driven by the flow disturbance from the particle injector tube. The trends in collision rates are largely explained by the rate of particle entertainment into the boundary layer around the cylinder and the inertial condition of the spheres in this proximity region—both of which can be better assessed by post-processing of the numerical outcomes. The primary incentive to undertake this work was the need for validating a particle-based method for quantifying the hydraulic stressors leading to bodily damage of fish passing flows influenced by hydraulic infrastructure.