Pixel International Conferences

Water is the most erosive agent that exists on the linear works, yet the abrasion that occurs in civil engineering is still very difficult to calculate.

It is needed assuming some variables like the slope and the design before calculate theoretically the erosion of a drainage system.

However, it is not possible to take into account the enormous variability of factors that affect a natural drainage system in the theoretical calculation. These factors are mainly the spatial and temporal variability of the rainfall, the soil and the vegetation cover. A miscalculation is found when the theoretical calculation is compared with the measured experimental value.

Moreover, the measures under natural conditions mean that the data collection campaing is extended in time, due to the slow process of attrition which produces it takes long to see the first effects.

Therefore, it would be necessary to wait long time and a lot of financial resources to verify and correct the difference between the theoretical measure and the experimental one.

In order to develop a method that allows engineering students to comprehend the theoretical calculations for designed of a drainage it has raised the construction of a model. This model of a drainage allows us for experimenting using different substrates (pvc, clay, rocks aquarium) but with the advantage of maintaining test conditions constant (same flow rate, same vegetation and the same substrate).

Other difficulty associated with the study of drainage occurs when trying to compare objectively two drainage systems. The proposed model solves this problem, since it has two drains to compare in the model, and keeps the same conditions of sampling in both of them, so an objective comparison of the two systems is achieved.

The model also has another advantage, as it allows a continuous and controlled flow of water in both sampling systems, and speeding up processes and allowing the comparison of both channels in less time.

The use of this model will allow students to:

•           Design new drainage networks.

•           Evaluate the erosion in different forms experimentally.

•           Evaluate the performance of drainage systems in different soil types.