Bioengineering Techniques Adopted for Controlling Riverbanks’ Superficial Erosion of the Simplício Hydroelectric Power Plant, Brazil

Abstract

Controlling and preventing soil erosion on slope surfaces is a pressing concern worldwide, and at the same time, there is a growing need to incorporate sustainability into our engineering works. This study evaluates the efficiency of bioengineering techniques in the development of vegetation in soil slopes located near a hydroelectric power plant in Brazil. For this purpose, twelve different bioengineering techniques were evaluated, in isolation and in combination, in the slopes (10 m high) of two experimental units (approximately 70 m long each) located next to the Paraíba do Sul riverbanks, in Brazil. High-resolution images of the slopes’ frontal view were taken in 15-day interval visits in all units for the first 90 days after implantation, followed by monthly visits up to 27 months after the works were finished. The images were treated and analyzed in a computer algorithm that, based on three-color bands (red–green–blue scale), helps to assess the temporal evolution of the vegetative cover index for each technique adopted. The results showed that most of the solutions showed a deficiency in vegetation establishment and were sensitive to climatological conditions, which induced changes in the vegetation phytosanitary aspects. Techniques which provided a satisfactory vegetative cover index throughout the investigated period are pointed out.

Sustainability in Geotechnics through the Use of Environmentally Friendly Materials

“…Low-carbon solutions for the stabilization of contaminated soils [21,22] and bioengineering techniques to prevent soil erosion [23] are put forward as relevant contributions to the planet's sustainability.…”

“…Vianna et al [23] explore different types of bioengineering techniques as environmentally friendly systems to prevent superficial erosion processes in soil slopes. The efficiency of these techniques was evaluated through high-quality images taken from periodical visits conducted over several months, processed with a computer code.…”

Mechanical and Thermoanalytical Study of Polypropylene Geomats Exposed in the Field and the Laboratory

“…Therefore, to contribute to the study of geomat durability, the objective of this paper was to evaluate degradation through thermal and mechanical analysis of geomats exposed to laboratory and field conditions for 74 months. This work is a continuation of the research developed by Vianna et al [23]. They assessed the performance of 12 bioengineering techniques for controlling erosion in prone slopes of Simplício Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) Furnas-Brazil.…”

Evaluation of Rainfall Interception by Vegetation Using a Rainfall Simulator

“…Interception may be measured in the field and in the laboratory. Field testing results can be more representative in terms of scale factor; however, these experiments are time consuming, the installation and setup of the instrumentation are burdensome, and many testing variables cannot be controlled because they are dependent on the weather conditions [6,[17][18][19][20][21][22]. Because of the difficulties associated with field experiments subjected to natural rainfalls, the use of rainfall simulators (RSs) has become an attractive alternative, allowing the evaluation of interception, infiltration, runoff, erosion, and sediment transport, including the effect of vegetation [17,[23][24][25][26].…”