Faculty of technology

Department of water sciences & environment

Technical English & terminology course M1

Study of wastewater network

Introduction:

The study of wastewater network aims to collect and evacuate normally the wastewater (used water) and
pluvial water (water of rainfall) by unitary collectors (main sewer) or separate collectors. In order to
achieve this study, it is absolutely necessary to follow these steps:

1-Topographical survey:

After delimiting the area study, the topographer proceeds to make the topographical survey which will be
used to conceive the numerical model of the ground. This one will be used to plot the profiles of the
wastewater network. The topographical survey should have the counter lines which are helpful to follow
the slope direction of the ground.

2- Hydrological study:

First of all, the area study must be divided into sub-basin and calculate the surface and its mean slope.
Also, the type of land use should be mentioned in order to determine the runoff coefficient.

In order to assess the pluvial runoff resulting from every sub-basin, we have to carry out the statistical
study of rainfall data (precipitation). That must lead to forecast the probable rainfall intensity for ten 10
years of frequency or more.

The rainfall intensity will be used to calculate the max runoff for all sub-basins.

3- Assessment of water needs:

The water needs will be estimated on the basis of water consumption of every resident per day. Generally,
the standard is about 180 l/day/resident.

80 % of water needs will be used and rejected in the wastewater network.

4- How to plot the wastewater network.

In urban area, to plot the wastewater network we should follow the slope direction from upstream to
downstream of every sub-basin. In every direction change we must place a sewer manhole. The collectors
must be placed as possible in the axis of the road.

5- Hydraulic calculations of wastewater network.

This step aims to calculate the dimensions of collector diameters. The sum of pluvial flow and waste water
flow will be used to calibrate the necessary diameter enabling the correct transit. The runoff velocity
should be cheeked in order to insure the self-cleaning of collectors.

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Faculty of technology

Department of water sciences & environment

Technical English & terminology course M1

Study of water supply

Introduction:

The main objective of water supply study is to convey the water from the resources (well,deep well, dam ,
river, water collecting ) to the distribution reservoirs and thereafter, the water will be treated and
distributed to the residents.

1- Topographical survey of the city

After having delimited the area study and localized the resources, the topographer proceeds to
realize the topographical survey of the city. It is absolutely necessary to mention the level of every
building (ground floor, Floor+n ) during this operation.

2- Assessment of water needs

There are three types of water needs:
- manufacturing needs
- equipment needs
- domestics needs

The needs of manufacturing and facilities will be estimated according to the actual activity.

The equipment needs include community facilities like (schools, public facilities, administrative
headquarters,…,etc)

The domestic needs will be evaluated on the basis of the future consumptions of residents.

The sum of these water needs constitutes the daily volume which must be ensured in order to
satisfy the resident’s needs. It is also expressed as the mean daily flow (m3/day).

3- Assessment of water resources

The assessment of water resources is a crucial step at the time of water supply study. In fact, the
sufficient availability of water resources leads to forecast the success or checkmate of our project.
However it is advisable to appeal to several resources for collecting and ensuring the necessary
flow.

4- Adduction (gravity or pumping)

After having evaluated the water resources, the topographer proceeds to execute the
topographical survey between the resource and the point of projected reservoir. The accurate site

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 of this later will be determined in order to provide the necessary pressure for every apartment in
the city. The minimum pressure required is 1,5 bars for normal functioning of water heater.
The hydraulic engineer must give instructions to topographers that during topographical survey
they must take account both low and high points of the ground which are necessary to place
respectively the empting (outlet) and suction-cup. The first is to empty the canalization and the
second to evacuate the gas (air) in order to re-establish the normal flow.
In the case of gravity adduction, the designer follows the slope direction to convey water from
resource to distribution reservoir.
In the case of adduction by pumping, the hydraulic engineer will calculate the pump characteristics
(flow and total manometric height TMH).

5- Distribution network
In this step, the distribution network will be plotted according to the ground morphology of the
city. There are two types of distribution schemes; ramified network and mesh network.

6- Modeling and simulation of water supply network

After having finished all previous steps, we will model or system of water supply. In our case we will
use the Epanet software to model and simulate the hydrodynamic behavior of adduction and
distribution throughout the day.
The simulation will permit to cheek flow, velocity and pressure in the same time. If we notice
anomalies, modifications and corrections will be operated until performing the normal functioning
of our water system.

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Faculty of technology

Department of water sciences & environment

Technical English & terminology course M1

Study of dams
Introduction:

Water resources planning & management of any state or nation depends on water availability
throughout the year as per demands with respect to time and space. We need to construct dams to
store surplus water during rainy season to meet out various types of regular demands like drinking,
agricultural, recreational, power generation, industrial, and municipal etc. Priorities have to be fixed
to plan and manage the available water resources.

1- Topographical study
In this step the hydraulic engineer will localize the site of the future dam by giving the geographical
coordinates (X,Y, Z) expressed in Lambert system. The altitude Z represents the low altitude in the
river where the axis of the dam will be projected.
Refined topographical survey will be executed at down-stream and upstream of the dam axis.
Also in this step, the watershed characteristics (surface , perimeter, min,mean and max altitude of
the main stream, main stream length ) must be calculated in order to perform the hydrologic study.

2- Geological study
The geological study is absolutely necessary for selecting the appropriate type of dam to build
(concrete or embankment). If embankment materials are sufficiently available in the site, the earth
dam will be advantaged. In the other hands, the concrete dam is only adopted in special site where
dam foundation is rocky and volume of the dam’s body is not important. The geological study aims
to identify if the site is crossed by faults or no.

3- Hydrogeological investigations
The purpose of hydrogeological investigations is to locate groundwater especially in the abutments
or in the basin in order to avoid eventual landslides which may induce dam failure either by
overtopping or breaching of the dam’s body.

4- Tectonic study
Earthquakes may cause failure or profound damage for dams. Factors contributing to this are,
magnitude on the Richter scale, peak horizontal and vertical accelerations, time duration, in
addition to the epicentral distance, nature of foundation rock, criteria of the design, and finally,
type of dam and materials have been used.
Studying previous major earthquakes and the damage they left on dams serve to illustrate the
possible performance of similar dams in similar future seismic events.
The lessons learned from such case histories help designers in selecting the type of dam best suited
to the site under consideration, materials for construction and the seismic criteria to be followed in
addition to other design details.
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5- Geotechnical study
Evaluation of the safety of either a new or an existing dam requires, among other things, that its
foundation has been adequately examined, explored, and investigated so that it is as fully
understood as possible. Foundation explorations should be directed towards obtaining only such
information as may be important to an evaluation of the dam.
Geotechnical survey will be executed at the axis of the dam in order to assess the soil bearing
capacity and knowing the superposition of ground layers.
Also, the geotechnical investigation concerns the sources of construction materials in the
borrowing area.

6- Hydrological study

The hydrological study will be performed in order to calculate the probable maximum flood PMF
called also the project flood, this flood occurs at least once during the return period. For small dams
the PMF will be taken for 1 000 years and for 10 000 years for large dams.
Solid transport will be also calculated by taking account of global erosion over the watershed. The
deposition of solid particles in the impoundment will reduce the storage capacity of the reservoir
particularly in arid and semi arid region.

7- Design of dam and related structures

A multidisciplinary team effort is required to plan and design a dam. Ultimately, a civil engineer is
responsible for the structure. The hydraulic engineer has to calculate and optimize the different
characteristics of the future dam like (type of the dam, height) and its related structures:

The Cofferdam: is the first structure to be built in order to divert the river through a tunnel or
through a temporary derivation that runs around the intended construction, the cofferdam will be
integrated into the dam’s body.

Intake: structure in a reservoir through which water can be drawn into an outlet pipe or gallery.

Spillway: A structure over or through which flood flows are discharged.

Outlet: An opening through which water can be freely discharged for a particular purpose from a
reservoir.