Propuesta metodológica para reparación de represas de tierra en operación, caso de estudio represa El Azúcar

Abstract

Dams are essential structures for the economic and social development of a country, as they ensure the availability of safe water for human consumption, irrigation, hydropower generation, and other uses. However, they may also pose a potential hazard if they are not properly designed and or if they are not periodically monitored throughout their operation. The failure of a dam can trigger the sudden and uncontrolled release of large volumes of water, sediments, and debris, sweeping away everything along its downstream path. Therefore, understanding the behavior, deterioration, and failure models of dams is crucial for preventing such disasters by identifying endogenous or exogenous events that may compromise the stability of the structure. For potential failure scenarios or the development of structural deterioration models in earth dams, this study proposes a methodology that enables the identification and evaluation of the most probable mechanisms of degradation and loss of stability, particularly in earthfill or embankment dams, with emphasis on the geotechnical design model and periodic monitoring plans. The proposed methodology was applied to the case study of the repair of the El Azúcar Dam, located in the province of Santa Elena, Ecuador. Keywords: Earth dams, Dam Safety, Structural deterioration models, Failure mechanisms, Geotechnical stability, Monitoring.