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- Hydraulic Concrete Surfaces for Water Resource Structures – Continued Collaboration
Hydraulic Concrete Surfaces for Water Resource Structures – Continued Collaboration
Project ID: 21051
Principal Investigator: Josh Mortensen
Research Topic: Condition Assessment
Funded Fiscal Years:
2021 and
2022
Keywords: None
Research Question
Beginning in 2018 Reclamation has collaborated with researchers in Brazil to study cavitation damage to concrete hydraulic structures such as spillways and stilling basins. The aim of this research has been to reduce concrete damage and improve concrete design for both repairs and new projects by evaluating flow interactions with the concrete surface with concrete material properties. FURNAS Centrais Elétricas (FURNAS), a company owned by the Brazilian government, provided substantial funding from 2019-2022 to study this problem. To date this collaboration has produced a substantial data set of cavitation damage to concrete from testing in Reclamation's Hydraulics and Concrete Laboratories as well as extensive field research of several Brazilian facilities. Additional laboratory testing is planned in Brazil through 2022 and further efforts are needed to correlate lab results with field experience to draw relevant conclusions. Ongoing collaboration is important to complete this research in order to reduce the cost of concrete repairs and provide guidance for improved design.
Need and Benefit
This research focuses on improving modeling/understanding of concrete damage and erosion from flow interaction on surfaces such as spillways and stilling basins, rather than deterioration due to chemical or other means.
Contributing Partners
Contact the Principal Investigator for information about partners.
Research Products
Please contact research@usbr.gov about research products related to this project.
