Watershed management using torrent-control structures is an
activity having more than 100 years history in Romania, So far, re-
searches regarding works behaviour in service focused mainly on de-
fining 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 hydrotech-
nical 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 param-
eter 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 col-
lectivity (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 re-
pairs or additions of new structures to existing hydrotechnical systems.
Also, the model designed can be a part of a monitoring system re-
garding torrent-control structures, answering, thus, the require-
ments on this issue of the “National Strategy for Flood Risk Man-
agement” approved by the Romanian Government in 2010.
Keywords condition rate, damage index, torrent-control structures, dams, drain
channels.
Entire article here Davidescu et al AFR 2012