Passarel·la per a vianants sobre el riu Segre : Premis FAD d'Arquitectura i Urbanisme

Descripció del projecte. S'han de destacar les innovacions i aportacions a l'avanç del coneixement que incorpora el projecte. Es poden incorporar memòries, plànols, fotografies, esbossos, etc. També l'adreça web si s'ha penjat més informació sobre el projecte a la web.Passarel.la per a vianants sobre el riu Segre.Memòria.La passera vol ser simplement el vincle entre les dues ribes del Segre. Entesa més com a itinerari quecom a lloc d'estada, pretén no esborrar mai la percepció d'estar suspès a una cota alta sobre el llit delriu. Tot això ha dut a dimensionar-la ajustadament per a fer compatible el pas de vianants i bicicletes, ipermetre el trànsit eventual de vehicles de servei.Participa de la mateixa idea l'esforç en atravessar tot el llit del riu amb dos únics pilars i sense cap altreelement que alteri l'essència del pont, entès com a itinerari.L'arribada a la ciutat és molt diferent a cada un dels dos marges. Al marge dret, sobre el passeigconsolidat, el recolzament de la passera pretén no alterar substancialment l'entorn, sent la mateixavorera la que s'aixeca per absorbir una petita diferència de cota provocada per la preservació de lasecció hidràulica. Pel contrari, al marge esquerra, l'espai buit entre els Camps Elisis i el nou mur deribera permet ordenar una major embocadura del pont que es perllonga, i sense solució de continuitat,es transforma en la pròpia passera. Es aquesta part del pont, eixamplat en forma de vano, la que estransforma en espai d'estada per a la contemplació de la vista sobre la ciutat vella i la Seu. Al mateixtemps, ofereix un racó d'ombra sobre el parc fluvial. Contràriament al marge dret, aquí es pretén esborrarels límits entre passera i ciutat. La perllongació dels elements urbans -paviments, bancs umbracles...- enterra ferma ve acompanyada també per l'aparició dels arbres del llit del riu a través dels mateixos foratsque deixen passar llum cap a la zona inferior del pont.L'estructura de la passera és conseqüent amb aquestes intencions i ofereix una plataforma lliured'obstacles visuals on els perfils de la ciutat i el propi riu es converteixin en el protagonistes. Duesbigues-calaix solidaritzades per bigues transversals,també d'acer, i una llosa col.laborant de formigó,permeten entendre el tauler com un conjunt estructural en forma de Z i ajuden a reduir el cantell total, enel repte d'atravessar els 83 metres de llum. La llosa vola 1,15 metres sobre la biga inferior i redueixl'efecte visual dels 2 metres de cantell.Aquesta secció en forma de Z ofereix dos alçats diversos i dues maneres de relacionar-se amb l’entorn.A la banda sud, la llosa vola per sobre la biga inferior i queda rematada per una barana de vidre,recolzant les visuals cap a la Seu i la ciutat vella. A l’altre costat, la biga superior actua com a baranaopaca i constitueix l’alçat del pont.Pere Joan Ravetllat/Carme Ribas/Nicolás Markuerkiaga/Javier Rui Wamba

Aplicación de la técnica de espectrometría de fluorescencia de rayos-X en el estudio de la dispersión de metales en áreas mineras

One critical factor for success in characterizing metals polluting mining environments so as to be able to eliminate them and subsequently recover these areas depends upon a speedy and correct response in the analysis of samples. Rapid, simultaneous, multi-element analysis can be undertaken using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, a versatile, non-destructive analytical technique commonly employed to identify both major and minor elements in samples related to environmental studies. An additional advantage of this technique is the possibility of conducting the analysis directly on solid samples, which is extremely convenient when dealing with environmental samples that are difficult to dissolve, such as soils, sediments and mining wastes. Moreover, in recent years the development of spectrometers equipped with digital-signal processors combined with enlarged X-ray production, using better designs for excitation-detection, has contributed to an improvement in instrumental sensitivity, thus allowing us to detect important polluting elements such as Cd and Pb at trace levels. In this paper the authors describe, on the basis of their own experience, some interesting applications of XRF spectrometry for the analysis of several types of environmental samples related to the study of the dispersion of metals within mining environments: (A) analysis of mining wastes, soils and sediments; (B) analysis of samples of vegetation used as bioindicators or related to phytoremediation studies; and (C) analysis of water samples related to mining operations

Estudi ecològic de la ictiofauna del riu Segre

Aquest estudi pretén donar a conèixer les espècies de peixos que poblen les aigües del riu Segre i afluents, la distribució de les mateixes dins la conca i les poblacions que presenten cada una, en base al mostreig realitzat durant l’any 2008. Es caracteritza l’hàbitat fluvial i la qualitat físico-química de l’aigua, i s’estableixen relacions entre l’estat de conservació de la ictiofauna i l’estat de conservació de l’hàbitat. Finalment, s’analitza l’evolució de l’estat ecològic, basat en els peixos mitjançant l’índex biòtic IBICAT, que han sofert els rius a la conca del Segre entre els anys 2003 i 2008.

Proposta de millora per a la qualitat ambiental del bosc de ribera de Santa Maria de les Franqueses

Estudi de la viabilitat de restitució del sistema fluvial de la manera més natural possible al seu pas per la partida de Santa Maria de les Franqueses (Balaguer), a fi i efecte de mantenir els processos i interaccions ecològiques i hidrogeomorfològiques del sistema per tal d’aconseguir que millori la dinàmica fluvial, la capacitat d’acollida de les espècies de fauna i faciliti els seus moviments a través del corredor fluvial.

Dynamic drag modeling of submerged aquatic vegetation canopy flows

Vegetation has a profound effect on flow and sediment transport processes in natural rivers, by increasing both skin friction and form drag. The increase in drag introduces a drag discontinuity between the in-canopy flow and the flow above, which leads to the development of an inflection point in the velocity profile, resembling a free shear layer. Therefore, drag acts as the primary driver for the entire canopy system. Most current numerical hydraulic models which incorporate vegetation rely either on simple, static plant forms, or canopy-scaled drag terms. However, it is suggested that these are insufficient as vegetation canopies represent complex, dynamic, porous blockages within the flow, which are subject to spatially and temporally dynamic drag forces. Here we present a dynamic drag methodology within a CFD framework. Preliminary results for a benchmark cylinder case highlight the accuracy of the method, and suggest its applicability to more complex cases.

Extending the canopy flow model for natural, highly flexible macrophyte canopies

Flow structures above vegetation canopies have received much attention within terrestrial and aquatic literature. This research has led to a good process understanding of mean and turbulent canopy flow structure. However, much of this research has focused on rigid or semi-rigid vegetation with relatively simple morphology. Aquatic macrophytes differ from this form, exhibiting more complex morphologies, predominantly horizontal posture in the flow and a different force balance. While some recent studies have investigated such canopies, there is still the need to examine the relevance and applicability of general canopy layer theory to these types of vegetation. Here, we report on a range of numerical experiments, using both semi-rigid and highly flexible canopies. The results for the semi-rigid canopies support existing canopy layer theory. However, for the highly flexible vegetation, the flow pattern is much more complex and suggests that a new canopy model may be required.

Deposits of the sandy braided South Saskatchewan River: Implications for the use of modern analogs in reconstructing channel dimensions in reservoir characterization

Estimation of the dimensions of fluvial geobodies from core data is a notoriously difficult problem in reservoir modeling. To try and improve such estimates and, hence, reduce uncertainty in geomodels, data on dunes, unit bars, cross-bar channels, and compound bars and their associated deposits are presented herein from the sand-bed braided South Saskatchewan River, Canada. These data are used to test models that relate the scale of the formative bed forms to the dimensions of the preserved deposits and, therefore, provide an insight as to how such deposits may be preserved over geologic time. The preservation of bed-form geometry is quantified by comparing the Alluvial architecture above and below the maximum erosion depth of the modem channel deposits. This comparison shows that there is no significant difference in the mean set thickness of dune cross-strata above and below the basal erosion surface of the contemporary channel, thus suggesting that dimensional relationships between dune deposits and the formative bed-form dimensions are likely to be valid from both recent and older deposits. The data show that estimates of mean bankfull flow depth derived from dune, unit bar, and cross-bar channel deposits are all very similar. Thus, the use of all these metrics together can provide a useful check that all components and scales of the alluvial architecture have been identified correctly when building reservoir models. The data also highlight several practical issues with identifying and applying data relating to cross-strata. For example, the deposits of unit bars were found to be severely truncated in length and width, with only approximately 10% of the mean bar-form length remaining, and thus making identification in section difficult. For similar reasons, the deposits of compound bars were found to be especially difficult to recognize, and hence, estimates of channel depth based on this method may be problematic. Where only core data are available (i.e., no outcrop data exist), formative flow depths are suggested to be best reconstructed using cross-strata formed by dunes. However, theoretical relationships between the distribution of set thicknesses and formative dune height are found to result in slight overestimates of the latter and, hence, mean bankfull flow depths derived from these measurements. This article illustrates that the preservation of fluvial cross-strata and, thus, the paleohydraulic inferences that can be drawn from them, are a function of the ratio of the size and migration rate of bed forms and the time scale of aggradation and channel migration. These factors must thus be considered when deciding on appropriate length:thickness ratios for the purposes of object-based modeling in reservoir characterization.

Climate and human forcing of Alpine river flow

River flow in Alpine environments is likely to be highly sensitive to climate change because of the effects of warming upon snow and ice, and hence the intra-annual distribution of river runoff. It is also likely to be influenced strongly by human impacts both upon hydrology (e.g. flow abstraction) and river regulation. This paper compares the river flow and sediment flux of two Alpine drainage basins over the last 5 to 7 decades, one that is largely unimpacted by human activities, one strongly impacted by flow abstraction for hydroelectricity. The analysis shows that both river flow and sediment transport capacity are strongly dependent upon the effects of temperature and precipitation availability upon snow accumulation. As the latter tends to increase annual maximum flows, and given the non-linear form of most sediment transport laws, current warming trends may lead to increased sedimentation in Alpine rivers. However, extension to a system impacted upon by flow abstraction reveals the dominant effect that human activity can have upon river sedimentation but also how human response to sediment management has co-evolved with climate forcing to make disentangling the two very difficult.

Efectos hidrogeomorfológicos aguas abajo de embalses

En este artículo se expone una síntesis del estado del conocimiento sobre los efectos que tienen los embalses en el tramo fluvial aguas abajo de los mismos, en lo referente al régimen hidrológico, el transporte de sedimentos y la morfología del cauce.

Características hidráulicas y geomorfológicas de ríos de montaña (I)

Con este artículo se inicia una serie de tres que pretenden ser una breve síntesis del estado del conocimiento acerca de la hidráulica y la geomorfología fluvial que se desarrollan en ríos de montaña constituidos por material granular no cohesivo.

Características hidráulicas y geomorfológicas de ríos de montaña (II)

En el primer artículo, de una serie de tres destinados a una síntesis del estado del conocimiento acerca de la hidráulica y la geomorfología fluvial que se desarrollan en ríos de montaña, se puso de manifiesto el papel absolutamente determinante de las cuencas montanas en los recursos hídricos mundiales. Asimismo, se describieron los rasgos definitorios de las tres categorías de flujo consideradas en cauces de montaña en función de la concentración del sedimento transportado (de baja concentración, hiperconcentrado y lava torrencial). En este segundo artículo se exponen las principales características hidráulicas del flujo de baja concentración de sedimento.

Predicción de la resistencia al flujo en ríos de montaña

Se han calibrado, validado y comparado tres modelos de resistencia al flujo de contorno granular: un modelo potencial y otros dos modelos desarrollados para condiciones de alta rugosidad relativa (uno basado en una modificación de la ley logarítmica de Prandtl-von Karman y otro fundamentado en un perfil de velocidad configurado en dos zonas: una uniforme en las proximidades de los elementos de rugosidad y otra superior que sigue una distribución logarítmica). Se ha empleado para ello un numeroso conjunto de 1.533 datos tomados en ríos y en canales de laboratorio, representativo de un amplio intervalo hidráulico y geomorfológico en el ámbito de ríos de grava y de montaña. Han resultado preferibles las ecuaciones ajustadas con los percentiles granulométricos mayores (d90 o d84) que las ajustadas con el diámetro mediano (d50), debido a la mayor capacidad explicativa alcanzada dado un modelo, la menor diferencia en la bondad de ajuste entre los diferentes modelos y la menor influencia del origen de los datos (río o canal de laboratorio). Las ecuaciones ajustadas de acuerdo con los modelos en donde se contemplan condiciones de alta rugosidad relativa presentan predicciones similares, exceptuando el intervalo macrorrugoso (y/d90 < 1), en el que es preferible la correspondiente al modelo fundamentado en el perfil de velocidad configurado en dos zonas. Se recomienda restringir la aplicación de la ecuación ajustada con arreglo a la ley potencial al intervalo de y/d90 comprendido entre uno y veinte, puesto que fuera de dicho intervalo tiende a infraestimar notablemente la resistencia al flujo.

Equivalent roughness of gravel-bed rivers

The relation between the equivalent roughness and different grain size percentiles of the sediment in gravel-bed rivers was determined under the hypothesis that the vertical distribution of the flow velocity follows a logarithmic law. A set of 954 data points was selected from rivers with gravel size sediment or larger, with a non-sinuous alignment and free of vegetation or obstacles. According to the results, the ks roughness is equivalent to approximately 2.4D90, 2.8D84, and 6.1D50. No correlation was detected between the sediment sorting and the sediment mobility index on one hand, and, on the other, the coefficient of proportionality of each grain size percentile.

25-years of biomonitoring in two mediterranean streams (Llobregat and Besos basins, NE Spain)

Biological water quality changes in two Mediterranean river basins from a network of 42 sampling sites assessed since 1979 are presented. In order to characterize the biological quality, the index FBILL, designed to characterize these rivers" quality using aquatic macroinvertebrates, is used. When comparing the data from recent years to older ones, only two headwater sites from the 42 had improved their water quality to good or very good conditions. In the middle or low river basin sites or even in headwater localities were river flow is reduced, the important investment to build up sewage water treatment systems and plants (more than 70 in 15 years) allowed for a small recovery from poor or very poor conditions to moderate water quality. Nevertheless still a significant number (25 %) of the localities remain in poor conditions. The evolution of the quality in several points of both basins shows how the main problems for the recovery of the biological quality is due to the water diverted for small hydraulic plants, the presence of saline pollution in the Llobregat River, and the insufficient water depuration. In the smaller rivers, and specially the Besòs the lack of dilution flows from the treatment plants is the main problem for water quality recovery.

Características geoquímicas de la formación de sales potásicas de Navarra (Eoceno superior). Comparación con la cuenca potásica catalana

Se estudia la distribución de una serie de elementos mayoritarios (Na, K, Ca, Mg) y minoritarios (Li, Rb, Sr, Fe, Br) en las sales de los yacimientos de la cuenca potásica navarra. Se insiste en un dispositivo de cubeta asimétrica, con acumulación marginal de las salmueras más densas, para explicar algunas anomalías en la distribución vertical de bromo dentro el yacimiento. Se concluye que, desde el punto de vista geoquímico, dicha formación evaporítica es semejante a su homóloga catalana, tratándose de sales marinas y básicamente primarias. Las paragénesis de silvinita transformada son secundarias. Su génesis a partir de carnalita se pone de manifiesto tanto desde el punto de vista petrográfico, como geoquímico y mineralógico.