An evaluating methodology for hydrotechnical torrent-control structures condition

Abstract

Watershed management using torrent-control structures is an activity having more than 100 years history in Romania, So far, researches regarding works behaviour in service focused mainly on defining and assessing each damage type, without studying the inte-raction between them. Thus, damage classification criteria were substantiated taking into account nature and strength of the damages. This paper presents a methodology for assessing the condition of hydrotechnical structures by quantifying the cumulative effects of damages which occur with a significant frequency during their service. The model was created using a database, nationwide representative, with 3845 torrent-control structures. The identified damage types identified were weighted using multi-criteria analysis. Depending on the weight and strength off all damages occurred was calculated an indicator named 'condition rate' (Ys). This new parameter may be used to track the impact of different features (structure age, components sizes, the position in the system, the construction materials, riverbed slope, geology of the area, etc.) on the condition of structures. By establishing the condition rate for all the structures within a collectivity (an entire watershed or catchment area, a single watercourse, a battery of works etc.), there may be made an analysis and a grading both at individual level and population-wide level, which lead to order the repairs or additions of new structures to existing hydrotechnical systems. Also, the model designed can be a part of a monitoring system regarding torrent-control structures, answering, thus, the requirements on this issue of the 'National Strategy for Flood Risk Management' approved by the Romanian Government in 2010.