SMALL DAMS PETITS BARRAGES

The gabion dam as the gabion retaining structures employ generally wire mesh baskets
filled with rock at the downstream part of the dam to form a flexible, permeable, monolithic
structure similar to a gabion retaining wall. At the upstream part is compacted an earthfill as
the impervious element.
In Fig. 2.16 is presented an example of a small dam which have been built in Brazil in
the last years using gabion as construction material. It is a dam with 12 m height that is
presenting a good performance in the last ten years.
2.8 INFLATABLE DAM TYPE
Fig. 2.16 – Gabion dam 12 m high - Brazil
In recent years, inflatable dam technology has significantly advanced and has become
an economical solution for installing new and replacing old spillway crest gates up to 5.4 m.
The hydraulic and environmental advantages of inflatable dams have also made them an
attractive solution for constructing new and replacing old run of the river low-head gravity
dams. In the United States, over 200 inflatable dams have been installed since 1980, and the
rate of their use on dam projects is increasing rapidly. Inflatable dam types have been installed
in a wide variety of conditions, configurations and environments, according to [3]. The first
inflatable dam system known as the “Fabridam” was introduced in the mid 1950s.
In the following table is presented a summary of the main inflatable dam manufactures in
the world.
Table 2.2 - Summary of Inflatable Dam Worldwide [3]
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