Semi-Rigid Erosion Control Techniques with Geotextiles Applied to Reservoir Margins in Hydroelectric Power Plants, Brazil

In Brazil, hydroelectricity represents close to 70% of the energy consumed in the country. However, hydroelectric plant operations may be affected by the deposit of sediments for erosive processes on reservoir margins. This study presents the results of implementing two semi-rigid erosion control te...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inWater (Basel) Vol. 13; no. 4; p. 500
Main Authors Aparicio Ardila, Maria, dos Santos Junior, Ricardo, Kobelnik, Marcelo, Aparecido Valentin, Clever, Silva Schliewe, Marlon, Teixeira Coelho, Arnaldo, Lins da Silva, Jefferson, Pereira da Luz, Marta
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Basel MDPI AG 01.02.2021
Subjects
Agriculture
Analysis
Bathymeters
Bathymetry
Climate change
Dams
Erosion control
erosion control techniques
gabion
Geotechnical fabrics
geotextiles
Hydroelectric plants
Hydroelectric power
Hydroelectric power plants
Hydroelectricity
Methods
Power plants
reservoir margins
Reservoirs
Sediments
Sediments (Geology)
Soil erosion
Thermal analysis
Topography
Tourism
Vegetation
Brazil
United States > US
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Summary:In Brazil, hydroelectricity represents close to 70% of the energy consumed in the country. However, hydroelectric plant operations may be affected by the deposit of sediments for erosive processes on reservoir margins. This study presents the results of implementing two semi-rigid erosion control techniques installed on reservoir margins of two Brazilian Hydroelectric Power Plants (HPPs). These techniques were the gabion and gabion mattress used as a mixed technique and geogrid mattress technique. This paper highlights the importance of implementing geotextiles in the construction process of these erosion control techniques, taking advantage of their separation properties. The performance of the techniques was evaluated using qualitative performance variables and by differential bathymetry studies performed in 2016 and 2020 in the experimental units installed in each HPP. Moreover, the degradation of the geotextiles in each installation was evaluated through thermal analysis. The erosion control techniques that showed the best results were gabion and gabion mattress. Regarding the exhumed geotextiles, thermal analyses have shown that the commercial geotextiles that were used can withstand temperatures of up to 200 °C leading to no changes to their structure.
ISSN:2073-4441
2073-4441
DOI:10.3390/w13040500