USE OF GABIONS IN SMALL HYDRAULIC WORKS

SEMINAR REPORT
on
GABION STRUCTURE
By
GOURAV
(Regd. No -20010501029)

Guided by

MR. ABHIMANYU SINGH PATHANIA

Asst. Professor, CED

DEPARTMENT OF

CIVIL ENGINEERING

GOVT. HYDRO ENGINEERING COLLEGE BILASPUR

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This is to certify that the work which is being presented on this report titled
“Gabion structure” in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the seminar of
bachelor of technology in Civil Engineering to department of Civil Engineering,
Govt. Hydro Engineering College is an authentic record of work carried out by
Gourav(registration number- 20010501029) under the supervision of Mr.
Abhimanyu singh pathania , Department of Civil Engineering ,Govt. Hydro
Engineering College .

The above statement is made is correct to the best of my knowledge.

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I would like to place on record my deep sense of gratitude to Asst. Prof. Mrs.
Anamika Gandhi, Department of Civil Engineering Govt Hydro Engineering College
Bandla, Bilaspur.
For the guidance, continuous encouragement and supervision throughout the
course of present work.
I would also like to express my gratitude towards my parents, my teachers and
my college friends for their co- operation and encouragement which help me in
completion of this seminar report.

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 USE OF GABIONS IN SMALL HYDRAULIC WORKS

There is a considerable choice of types of hydraulic structures, and deciding

which particular one to adopt will largely depend on the uses it will be put to, and
on the overall conditions of the area where it will be installed. In choosing a
structure type, the on-site availability of building materials and the skills and
experience of local workers should also be verified, with an eye to future
maintenance requirements.The specific characteristics of each structure type
should be taken into account to select a structure that meets the demands and
conditions of the particular site under consideration. Therefore, it will be useful to
provide a general classification of hydraulic works before moving on to the
analysis of the site selection procedure. In this chapter, use and hydraulic design
are introduced as two general criteria for the classification of hydraulic works. The
following chapters will mainly focus on most commonly small hydraulic
works.Once the type of hydraulic structure has been selected, further inquiries will
allow us to decide about its feasibility and design. The investigation procedure is
described in the final part of this chapter.

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Table of Contents
1.1 – CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO USE ....................................... 2
1.2 – CLASSIFICATION BY HYDRAULIC DESIGN (site and basin
requirements2
1.3 – INVESTIGATION PHASE..................................................................... ......2
1.1 – CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO USE ................................................. 2
WATER SUPPLY........................................................................................................ 2
FLOOD REGULATION.............................................................................................. 3
1.2 – CLASSIFICATION BY HYDRAULIC DESIGN (site and basin
requirements3
EARTHFILLDAMS..........................................................................................5
GABIONSWEIRS............................................................................................6
EARTHFILLDIKES........................................................................................ 6
1.3 – INVESTIGATION PHASE............................................................................7
preliminary feasibility,................................................................................... 7
preliminary site survey, ...................................................................................7
feasibility,.........................................................................................................7
definitive project...............................................................................................7
Preliminary feasibility.....................................................................................7
Preliminary site survey....................................................................................8
Feasibility.......................................................................................................8
Definitive project.............................................................................................8

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1.1 – CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO USE

Hydraulic works can be classified by use in three main categories, as shown in
the table below:
HYDRAULIC WORKS CLASSIFICATION
USE SUB-CLASS HYDRAULIC DESIGN
WATER SUPPLY RETENTION DAMS Earthfill dams
DIVERSION WEIR Gabions weirs with outlet
system
DEBRIS/CHECK
FLOOD REGULATION DAMS Gabions weirs
DETENTION DAMS Earthfill dams with outlet
system

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WATER Gabions weirs with

SPREADING DAMS earthfill embankment
PROTECTION OF
FLOODPLAINS FROM LEVEES Earthfill dikes
INUNDATION
WATER SUPPLY

The first category refers to structures the main function of which is the supply
of water for human needs, livestock watering, and crop irrigation. Retention
structures are generally used in conjunction with substantial seasonal runoff
variations. The required storage volume is established according to local water
requirements and runoff fluctuations. For example, in arid and semi-arid regions,
earthfill dams are used to stock water during the rainy season, making it available for
consumption in the dry season. Diversion weirs can only be built if the runoff rate
tends to be constant throughout the year.

FLOOD REGULATION
Hydraulic works for flood regulation are structures used to control water runoff
effects, mitigating erosion phenomena. Debris and check dams are built on small
streams to diminish the bed gradient and to reduce runoff transportation. In detention
dams, the runoff is stored only temporarily, to be gradually released through an outlet
system. Water spreading dams are used to build up the streambed causing
floodplain inundation in areas where runoff overflow is an important factor in
groundwater recharge and irrigation practices.

PROTECTION OF FLOODPLAINS FROM INUNDATION

Instead, when floodplains are frequently threatened by runoff overflow or sea
tides, they have to be protected with levees to secure their utilisation.

In the majority of cases, hydraulic works can be profitably built to meet more
than one purpose. For example, a detention dam can be equipped with a small storage
volume for water supply, or a diversion dam can also be used to cause floodplain
inundation.
While projecting hydraulic works, a serious effort should be made to optimise
locally available water resources, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, where the
latter are very scarce. Hence, in the case of water storage structures, high evaporation
rates should always be taken into consideration, in order to prevent the loss of an
important percentage of stored waters. In these instances it might be preferable to opt

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for a subsurface storage system, functioning through some artificial groundwater

recharge mechanism, provided that the local environmental conditions allow it.
Especially working in arid and semi-arid regions, one should never lose sight of
the eventual consequences that the installation of hydraulic works might generate
downstream. For example, storage or diversion dams can cause water scarcity
downstream.

1.2 – CLASSIFICATION BY HYDRAULIC DESIGN (site and basin

requirements)
With reference to design, small hydraulic works can be divided in the following
main classes (see fig. 1.1, 1.2 an 1.3):

- earthfill dams,
- gabions weirs, - earthfill dikes.

Fig. 1.1 - Earthfill dam

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Fig. 1.2 - Gabions weir

Fig. 1.3 - Earthfill dike

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Each of these classes is briefly described below together with site and watershed
main requirements.

EARTHFILL DAMS
This class refers to earthfill embankments built on small catchment areas in
order to store water. Embankments are constructed with the rolled-fill technique.
Embankment height generally does not exceed 10-12 m and its length is less than 1
km, but minor variations may occur, depending on the site topography.
They are generally equipped with both a spillway and an outlet system. To
prevent the structure’s overflow, the spillway should be designed to evacuate the
maximum water-flow during runoff events. Gabions should always be installed to
protect the spillway from erosion. A pipeline next to one of the embankment
shoulders generally functions as an outlet system. It can be used in storage dams to let
water out from the reservoir, or in detention dams to release runoff water gradually.
The pipeline’s diameter is determined according to the amount of water it will have to
support. A gate system might be set up to control the flow’s rate.
The reservoir capacity is established on the basis of the purpose it will be put to
and of local runoff characteristics. It corresponds to the sum of storage and detention
volumes. Site features:

- availability of construction materials (proper kind of earth; water availability),

- wide impounding reservoir in relation to runoff volume, with impervious
substrate,
- low stream transportation rates to retard reservoir sedimentation,
- short distance from a frequented water point (storage dams),
- soil characteristics adequate to support embankment loads and to avoid excessive
water seepage.

Watershed features:

- basin runoff characteristics (e.g. volume, temporal variability) meeting structural

requirements.

GABIONS WEIRS
Gabion weirs function as cross structures, which build up the streambed and
stabilise the bed shape. Weir height is generally limited to 2-4 m to prevent damages
downstream caused by local erosion phenomena, which could provoke the structure’s

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breakdown. During floods, depending on runoff conditions and cross section

topography, their presence might result in a lateral water overflow, which could be
avoided by building earthfill embankments on the wings. Embankment’s height
generally does not exceed a few meters (3-4 m).
Diversion structures are generally equipped with outlet systems, gated or non-
gated, which allow the diversion of runoff waters. Outlet systems will need to be
protected against particularly violent runoff events.

Site features:

- availability of construction materials (stones, proper kind of earth and water for
embankments and foundations)
- stream cross section allowing flow passage without giving rise to an important
specific charge,
- relatively straight longitudinal stream section, avoiding bank erosion downstream
the structure,
- wide impounding reservoir, with pervious substrate (water spreading dams),
- compatibility between stream bed level and outlet level (diversion structures), -
potential for series positioning along the stream (debris and check dams), -
soil characteristics adequate to support structure loads.

Watershed features:

- appropriate basin runoff characteristics (e.g. volume, temporal variability).

EARTHFILL DIKES
These are earthfill embankments built in the vicinity of stream banks to protect
floodplains from inundations. Embankment height generally does not exceed a few
meters (3-4 m) and its length can reach a few kilometres, according to site
topography. They are generally endowed with a gated outlet system, to allow the
passage of water between floodplains and stream, if required.

Site features:

- availability of construction materials (proper kind of earth and water for

embankments and foundations)
- site topography fitting structure purposes.

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1.3 – INVESTIGATION PHASE

Firstly, the type of hydraulic work must be chosen, according to the function it
will have to fulfil in the area taken into consideration. Then, further inquiries should
be carried out to cover all the aspects of structure planning, projecting and building.
The investigation phase can be divided in different steps: preliminary feasibility,
preliminary site survey,
feasibility,
definitive
project.

The following description provides a general outline of the various

investigation steps: a more detailed analysis (e.g. referring to elements of
geohydrology, hydrology, geotechnics) can be found in the next chapter.

Preliminary feasibility
The first step involves the collection of all available data that might result
useful at different phases of the project stage.

 cartography, thematic mapping (geology, hydrogeology, soil usage and vegetation

cover), aerial photos, satellite images (Spot, Landsat TM, Sar, Ikonos, etc.),
 hydrological data (runoff and sediment transportation), hydrogeological data
(groundwater), meteorological data (rainfall and evapotranspiration) and
geological data (soils composition),  general data on population, agriculture and
livestock.

We will then have to proceed to a preliminary site selection according to use

and type of structure, on the basis of the data collected during the previous research
stage.
Once the site has been chosen, we will have to mark the watershed and to
classify it according to its topography, geology and drainage features. It is possible to
choose among several classification methods. Having selected the one which best
suits our specific requirements we should refer to existing data on runoff
characteristics made available by previous investigations carried out on similar
watersheds.
We now have to verify if local water needs are met, on the basis of our
knowledge of runoff characteristics, and to determine if, from the data collected, it is
possible to envisage any obstacle that might occur at the building phase.
If similar hydraulic works already exist in the same area, we should examine
them closely, assessing their impact and effects on the environment.

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Preliminary site survey

If our data suggest that in the site being considered there are all the
prerequisites for the installation of a hydraulic structure, a preliminary site inspection
is needed to verify if topography, soil structure, and other relevant requirements are
met.
If so, we can move on to a preliminary topographic survey of cross and
longitudinal stream sections, which will allow us to determine the structure’s
dimensions. A preliminary soil survey is also necessary to verify if local soil
characteristics meet all the structural requirements, and if suitable construction
materials are available in the vicinities.

Feasibility
If the data collected during the preliminary site survey confirm that the site is
definitely suitable for the kind of hydraulic structure we consider building, we can
deepen our analysis.
In-depth topographic and soil surveys should be carried out in all the areas that
will accommodate the structure and reservoir, in order to estimate the reservoir’s
capacity and to know the soil’s characteristics. Prospect pits in the quarry area will
provide us with data on the characteristics of local construction materials and their
available quantities. Especially with regards to earthfill dams, it is necessary to make
some soil borings in the embankment’s footprint to know the depth, thickness and
geotechnical features of the subsoil layers.
At this point we have to do a preliminary structure project to establish the
quantity of materials required and the means necessary to build the structure. In line
with cost effectiveness and durability concerns, it is a priority to make a project that
relies on local means and materials available on-site, and suits local topographic and
geological features. For example, with regards to earthfill dams, the spillway’s cost
usually takes up a high percentage of the total. The presence of favourable natural
conditions, such as a saddle in the shoulder, should be established in advance and
eventually exploited to substantially reduce the spillway’s cost. Also water deficiency,
in the surroundings of an earthfill dam, would hinder an adequate compaction of the
embankment.
In this phase it is also necessary to prepare a general work plan. For example, if
a temporary stream diversion is required during structure building, performing this
costly operation can strongly affect the overall structure’s costs.
We can now estimate the total costs of building the structure, which should be
compared to the benefits that could be derived from its installation. This particular
kind of cost/benefit analysis is highly delicate, as it is very difficult to quantify some
effects, such as runoff retention or groundwater recharge.

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Definitive project
If all the investigations confirm that the designed hydraulic work can be
conveniently built in the chosen site, we can move on to the definitive structure
project. However, before doing so, it will be useful to complete the topographic and
soil surveys started at the previous investigation phase.
All the substructures must now be designed and verified. Firstly, all structural
characteristics, such as storage and detention volume for an earthfill dam, or weir
height for a diversion dam, must be calculated. The spillway’s dimensions should also
be accurately calculated at an early stage, as a very common cause for the failure of
hydraulic works is the structure’s overtopping caused by miscalculations of the
spillway’s characteristics.
A topographic plan and cross section must be designed for every structure.
Cross section structures must be designed for all the appropriate load combinations
and tested against hydraulic seepage. Particular specifications have to be defined prior
to the installation of construction materials, such as stone size for gabions filling and
moisture content for earthfill materials.
We have to prepare a detailed work plan for each phase of the construction,
trying to optimise the utilisation of available means.
Various types of inquiry should be conducted at the same time, in order to
advance our understanding of the site’s characteristics and requirements. Preliminary
and progressive structure projects have to be prepared to evaluate the works’
feasibility. At an early stage of our investigations, it will be convenient to consider
different solutions, as if we were carrying out several projects at the same time. This
will allow us to progressively contrast the respective costs and benefits of different
solutions, until we are able to select one of them. At this point the related inquiries
become more focused.
These investigations require various kinds of expertise. Ideally, a team of
experts, comprising at least a hydrologist, a geotechnical specialist and a hydraulic
engineer, should be formed on purpose. In developing countries it is often very
difficult to gather all the data required for projecting a small hydraulic work.
Therefore, the designer will have to extrapolate the required data from other sources.

Various types of supports will be required throughout the investigation phases,

such as general topographic survey equipment, a geo-technical kit and a computer
with various software tools. For example, a proper GIS tools will result helpful
throughout the initial investigations on watershed features, a CAD tools is necessary
for the elaboration of data gathered during the reservoir survey, and hydrological and
hydraulic software tools might be useful in the estimation of various hydraulic
structures’ features.

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The extent of the enquiries and the personnel involved should be commensurate
to the magnitude of the works to be implemented, lest preliminary studies take up a
disproportionate stake of the available funds. With reference to the procedures
described above, investigations concerning minor hydraulic works should be
substantially simplified.
It is fundamental, in the final work project, to take into consideration future
maintenance concerns. In fact, it is not uncommon for minor damages left un-
repaired to be at the origin of severe structure’s breakdowns. This is why, starting
from the design stage, great care should be taken in minimising maintenance tasks.
All aspects of ordinary maintenance should also be covered.

REFERENCES
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1) Agostini R., Cesario L., Conte A., Masetti M., and Papetti A. (1987).
“Flexible gabionstructures in earth retaining works,”Officine Maccaferri S A.,
Bologna, Italy.

2)Gray H. and Sotir B. (1996). “Biotechnical and Soil Bioengineering Slope

Stabilization, APractical Guide for Erosion Control,” A Wiley-Interscience
Publication, John Wiley andSons, Inc.

3)Les Ouvrages en gabions (1992). “Collection techniques rurales en Afrique,”

Ministere de laCooperation , Paris, France (in French)

4)Officine Maccaferri S.p.A. (1997). “Terramesh System-A solution for soil-

reinforcement,”Bologna, Italy.

5)Peyras L., Royet P., and Degoutte G. (1992). “Flow and Energy Dissipation
over SteppedGabion Weirs,”
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 118, No. 5, May, pp.707~717

6).Stephen T. Maynord (1995). “Gabion-Mattress Channel-Protection Design,”

Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, ASCE , Vol. 121, No. 7, July, pp. 519~522.

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