Use of Drainage Geocomposite in the internal drainage system of dams in replacement of granular material
Abstract
Piping and liquefaction are the two main causes that lead a dam to collapse and are related to the increase of pore pressure in the interior of the massif due to the non-direction of the water flow, that is, the inefficiency or non-existence of the internal drainage system. This system serves to relieve pore pressure inside the mass of a dam, as it directs the flow downstream of the structure, thus avoiding saturation of the massif. Currently, the most used materials for the composition of the internal drainage system are granular materials (gravel and sand). However, there are geosynthetics, such as drainage geocomposites, that fulfill the same function as granular materials: filtration and drainage. When comparing the two systems, the use of drainage geocomposite is more advantageous in terms of cost-benefit, execution and transportation. Although geosynthetics have several advantages, compared to the conventional drainage system with granular material, it is still little used and this is possibly due to the insecurity of professionals in using an alternative method with a low history of use.
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Copyright (c) 2024 Fernanda Sasdelli Figueiredo Sales, Rafael Freitas Rodrigues, Sabrina Medeiros Penasso, Raphael Zanotti do Carmo, Michel Moreira Morandini FontesAuthor(s)
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Fernanda Sasdelli Figueiredo Sales
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Rafael Freitas Rodrigues
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Sabrina Medeiros Penasso
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Raphael Zanotti do Carmo
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Michel Moreira Morandini Fontes