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River training works

Problems and solutions

Quality System Guarantees

Production, certified internal management and
technical assistance in compliance with ISO 9002.

Environmental Officine Maccaferri S.p.A.

solutions Via Agresti, 6 - P.O. Box 396
40123 Bologna - Italia
Tel. ++39 051 6436000
Fax ++39 051 236507
e-mail: comes.officine@maccaferri.com
Website: www.maccaferri.com

© 2 0 0 0 O f f i c i n e M a c c a f e r r i S . p . A . - B o l o g n a - I t a l y - P r i n t : Ti p o g r a f i a L a b a n t i e N a n n i - P r o j e c t : G r a f i c a M o n t i - P h o t o : A r c h i v i o O f f i c i n e M a c c a f e r r i

Environmental
solutions
M ac c aferri solutions
for river training
works and erosion control
- Channel linings
- Bank protections
- We i r s
- Groynes
Most of the towns and cities we know today have deve- communication routes were required for trade and social
loped in areas that have been inhabited from ancient e x c h a n g e. I t i s d i f f i c u l t t o d a y t o i g n o r e t h e p r o b l e m s o f
t i m e s. M e a n d e r s o r i s l a n d s i n r i v e r s h a v e a l wa y s b e e n flooding of low lying areas and the need to protect roads,
f a v o u r i t e s i t e s f o r h u m a n h a b i t a t i o n s i n o r d e r t o t a ke ra i l wa y s o r i n d u s t r i a l b u i l d i n g s.
advantage of the availability of water and fertile land for However, we must not forget that a natural watercourse
farming. Thus began a relationship between man and the is a living entity in continual development that should
r i v e r w h i c h h a s b e e n d e v e l o p i n g e v e r s i n c e. W i t h t h e b e p r o t e c t e d , a s f a r a s p o s s i b l e.
i n c r e a s e i n p o p u l a t i o n a n d t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f i n d u s t r y,

Italy

03
For a well-balanced
design of river works

By analysing the main factors which are

important in the maintenance of a well-balanced
river habitat when looking at its restoration one 1 2 4 3

not only has to choose which materials are to

b e u s e d b u t a l s o t o m a ke a p r o p e r e va l u a t i o n
o f d e s i g n m e t h o d o l o g i e s.
A natural river course is characterised both 1. Habitat 1 = roots of Salix sp. covered with tufts
from plan and elevation and dictated by the Cladophora Sp.;
2. Habitat 2 = silt deposited on gabion protection;
n e e d t o m a i n t a i n e n v i r o n m e n t a l b i o - d i v e r s i t y. 3. Habitat 3 = neuston around the groynes;
4. Habitat 4 = stagnation point.
Design hypothesis and technical solutions can
be a common denominator and bioengineering
should not be considered as a list of techniques U.K. ( f o t o D a v i d B a r ke r - E d e n b r i d g e U. K . ) Microhabitat check schematisation
(Research on the environmental effects
b u t a s a g l o b a l a p p r o a c h p h i l o s o p h y. by rivers sides with Gabion and Reno
mattresses)-Italy 1993-1994.

Th i s m e a n s t h a t s o l u t i o n s m u s t r e l a t e t o t h e Italy - Actual situation

p r o b l e m s, a v o i d i n g b o t h t e c h n i c a l a n d e t h i c a l
m i s t a ke s, a n d w i t h o u t e x c e s s, a l l w i t h i n a
m u l t i d i s c i p l i n a r y a p p r o a c h w h e r e e n g i n e e r s,
b i o l o g i s t s, b o t a n i s t s a n d a r c h i t e c t s d o n o t
p r e va r i c a t e e a c h o t h e r.
Th e s o l u t i o n m u s t :
- supply the immediate required stabilisation;
- promote a positive evolution (re-naturalisation)
of the new ecosystem created from the river
t ra i n i n g w o r k s.

Belgium

PROBLEM

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

HYDROSEEDING LIGHT REVETMENT REVETMENT WITH GRAVITY WALL WITH REINFORCED SOIL
WITH GEOMAT RENO MATTRESSES GABIONS STRUCTURE

APPROVED SOLUTIONS

CORRECT SOLUTION PROPOSED SOLUTION CORRECT SOLUTION PROPOSED SOLUTION

OVER DESIGNED UNDER DESIGNED

Belgium - Actual situation

04 05
A system of softwares Th e s o l u t i o n e x p o s e d i n t h e p r e v i o u s p a g e s h a v e t o b e
chosen on the basis of quantitative analysis and not only
for hydraulic and q u a l i t a t i v e o r s u b j e c t i v e o n e s.
Th i s i s t h e r e a s o n w h y o u r c o m p a n y h a s p r o m o t e d l a b o ra -
environmental design t o r y, f i e l d a n d b i b l i o g ra p h i c a l r e s e a r c h e s, o n t h e b a s i s o f
which a series of specific software have been created

MACRA 2
MACRA
(By EHS Bologna - Italy)
Th e M AC R A 2 / We i r s s o f t wa r e wa s
d e v e l o p e d t o c o n d u c t h y d ra u l i c
and static analysis of gabion
The MACRA software, working in an Autocad
w e i r s.
format, allows the engineer to design the
river training works in a stretch of river
under the hypothesis of a steady flow, taking
into account the actual river geometry, rou-
ghness and flow normally present in a natu-
ra l wa t e r c o u r s e.

MAQUA
MAQUA is a software developed in a Win-
dows format, supporting the design of river

MACRA 1
The MACRA1/Bank Protection software, whi-
t ra i n i n g w o r k s, E n v i r o n m e n t a l I m p a c t A s -
sessments (EIA) and allowing for the ma-
nagement of watercourses. MAQUA's pur-
ch uses a Windows type structure, provides pose is to provide a model for the
engineers with a rapid and efficient tool with e va l u a t i o n o f t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l va l u e o f
which to conduct the stability analysis of watercourses subjected to intervention.
watercourses cross-sections with respect to This program compares design alternatives
b o t h wa t e r f l o w a n d wa v e m o t i o n . and selects the one shown to preserve
t h e i n i t i a l e n v i r o n m e n t a l va l u e.

06 07
Longitudinal Revetments
st r uct u re s When an erosion process that does not
affect the global stability creates slope
The term longitudinal structures is used to de- i n s t a b i l i t y, t h e n r e v e t m e n t s c a n b e a
fine structures with their length parallel to the possible solution.
r i v e r f l o w. Th e s e s t r u c t u r e s a r e o f t e n b u i l t o n The choice of the most suitable type of
existing natural banks and they usually revetment must be made on the basis
e x t e n d f o r a c o n s i d e ra b l e d i s t a n c e. of a comparison between the acting Italy
Th e y a r e u s e d f o r a va r i e t y o f p u r p o s e s, stresses (in terms of shear stresses and
such as: n o t o n l y wa t e r v e l o c i t i e s ) a n d t h e s e r -
- erosion control viceability limits of the material used.
Italy
- control of meanderings Th e a p p r o a c h t o b e c o n s i d e r e d m u s t
- containment of the normal flow channel always be made under the term of Bio-
- flood protection engineering, based on a combination
of live and inert materials where the
limit at ions of bot h must be t ake n int o
c o n s i d e ra t i o n .

Italy

Italy

Italy

Italy

Italy - Actual situation

Italy - Actual situation

08 09
G a b i o n g r av i t y
st r uct u re s
A bank stabilisation may involve the
construction of a retaining structure that
should not only effect the natural
Italy
f i l t ra t i o n b e t w e e n t h e wa t e r c o u r s e a n d
t h e b a n k , b u t m u s t a l s o g u a ra n t e e t h e
required consolidation.
F u r t h e r m o r e, t h e p r e s e n c e o f s u b g ra d e s
and banks that are normally saturated or
which have unpredictable erosion
p h e n o m e n a m a ke t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f
flexible structures a necessity. They must
Italy Italy
be able to withstand differential
settlement without loosing their
s t r u c t u ra l i n t e g r i t y. Maccaferri gabions are fabricated from high The utilisation of double twisted hexagonal mesh
Gabion structures are the ideal solution quality steel wire where long term durability is a l s o g u a ra n t e e s h i g h f l e x i b i l i t y a n d r e s i s t a n c e,
o n a c c o u n t o f t h e i r f l e x i b i l i t y, n a t u r a l guaranteed by galvanising with either zinc or a all adding to the main characteristics that make
drainage capacity due to the stone filling, z i n c / a l u m i n i u m a l l o y, t h a t c a n b e f u r t h e r Maccaferri gabions the ideal solution
a n d h i g h s t r u c t u ra l r e s i s t a n c e. protected by a polymer coating and all of which for river bank stabilization.
comply with the highest international standards.

Italy

Italy Italy Italy

10 11
G a b i o n g r av i t y
st r uct u re s

Greece

Th e wa l l m u s t b e f o u n d e d a t a l e v e l t h a t i s
n o t a f f e c t e d b y wa t e r s c o u r p r o b l e m s.
Generally a direct foundation of this type
is only advisable where the river bed
material is un-erodible or when it
consists of solid rock.
It is also appropriate in
mountainous regions and
especially in the wilder
torrents where the heavy bed
load could damage Italy

elements such as aprons

protruding into the
stream bed.

It is not always
possible to build the
foundations of river bank
i m p r o v e m e n t s i n t h e d r y.
Italy
In these cases a platform In
A gabion apron extends horizontally in to these cases a platform can be
the bed so that it adjusts to possible built of dumped rock or
scouring thereby providing an adequate cylindrical gabions, and the
foundation for the protective structures built vertical portion of the protective
upon it. structure can be conveniently built
A properly sized apron should extend o n t o p.
horizontally into the river bed beyond the If the platform is built of loose rocks
vertical front face of the protection by 1.5 it is particularly important to choose
to 2 times the maximum depth of expected a rock size to ensure the stability of
s c o u r. Th i s e n s u r e s t h a t u n d e r m a x i m u m t h e s u p e r- s t r u c t u r e.
s c o u r c o n d i t i o n s, t h e a p r o n w i l l f o l d d o w n
into the scour hole without being too steep
o r a l l o w i n g t h e s u r f a c e t o t a ke u p a
“ q u i l t e d ” o r u n d u l a t i n g p r o f i l e.

U.K.

Brazil

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Reinforced soil structures
Italy

Th e d e v e l o p m e n t o f n e w t e c h n o l o g i e s s u c h a s The Terramesh® System are structures whose component

reinforced soil structures using the combined strength
of the soil and the reinforcing elements has opened
u p n e w m e t h o d s f o r t h e s t a b i l i s a t i o n o f r i v e r b a n k s.
Th e d o u b l e t w i s t e d w i r e m e s h Te r ra m e s h ® S y s t e m
(made with polymer coated Galmac® wire) has greatly
e x t e n d e d M a c c a f e r r i ’s e x p e r i e n c e i n t h e f i e l d o f
r e v e t m e n t s a n d g a b i o n s.
sizes are pre-determined and completely pre-assembled
during the production phase. Each element has two
main properties: the first to reinforce soils, and the
second to stabilise the face. The ordinary Terramesh®
has an external face similar to stone filled gabions.
The Green Terramesh® has a face lined with a geomat
that retains uncompacted vegetable soil.

Terramesh
Verde

Terramesh
System

Italy

Italy - Actual situation

Italy

14 15
Gabion weirs
Gabion weirs are classified in three types,
according to the shape of their
downstream face at the centre of flow:
- vertical weirs
- stepped weirs
- sloped weirs Brazil
Italy

The vertical weir is certainly the simplest

type, and is often used for small weirs in
a system controlling a reach of a stream.
Since this means that the gabion mesh is
protected against abrasion and impact by
heavy bed material carried in spate
conditions, it is a type recommended for
t ra i n i n g w o r k s o n m o u n t a i n t o r r e n t s.
Italy

In the design of vertical weirs, maximum

attention must be paid to the dissipation
of the kinetic energy of the cascade
which is allowed to scour the bed thus
forming a pool. Here the energy is
d i s s i p a t e d i n t h e c u s h i o n o f wa t e r a n d
i n t h e f o r m a t i o n o f a h y d ra u l i c j u m p.
A secondary weir is placed at the
downstream end of the pool to control
the formation of the jump and to restrict
Brazil
the extension of the pool downstream.
Th e l a t t e r i s n e c e s s a r y t o e n s u r e
that the main structure is not
undermined.

Burkina Faso

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Austria Italy

Italy
Actual situation

16 17
Gabion groynes
By “groynes” we mean a structure which
protrudes into the river bed, with the aim
of moving the flow away from the side of
the river on which the groynes are built.
Gabion structures are suitable for every
k i n d o f g r o y n e.
Th e y c a n b e s u b j e c t t o s t r a i n w i t h o u t
Italy
losing their effectiveness due to
movement and they can conform to all
va r i a t i o n s i n r i v e r b e d l e v e l s.
They become an integral part of the river
bank and of the riverbed on which the
gabions are built.
In cases of a well built combinations of
g a b i o n d e f e n c e s a n d g r o y n e s, t h e w o r k s
are destined to disappear under the
deposition of silts which will become
Saudi Arabia
further stabilised by plant colonisation.

Malawi - Actual situation

Italy

Italy

Brazil

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