IMPROVING THE OPERATIONAL RELIABILITY OF HYDRAULIC FACILITIES WHEN USING POLYMER AND POLYMER-CEMENT COMPOSITES
Authors: Kovalenko O. V. 
Published: February 2020

Actualuty of the problem. The effective functioning of water-reclamation systems depends to a large extent on the operational reliability and durability of hydraulic structures. The structural elements of hydraulic structures of water management and reclamation complex from the moment of commissioning are subject to aggressive environmental influences. Aggressive factors (hydrostatic water pressure, alternating freezing and thawing, wetting and drying, corrosive action of salts dissolved in water, dynamic action of ice, etc.) constantly affect concrete structures, gradually destroying them. Therefore, the development of measures aimed at ensuring high resistance of structures to the aggressive environmental factors is relevant.

Effective operation of structures with long-term aggressive environmental factors is only possible if they are protected (reinforced) with effective insulating, anticorrosive, high-strength, wear-resistant and cavitation-resistant composite materials. Specific characteristics of polymer and polymer-cement composite materials (high strength, corrosion resistance, frost resistance, adhesion to different coatings) enable to create effective technologies for restoring the functional capacity of hydraulic structures and increasing their stability. The need of reinforcing concrete structures of hydraulic facilities by combining or partially replacing them with modern composite materials and structures made of polymers and polymer cement is determined in view of increasing coolness, reliability and durability of the structures. These materials should be standardized at the stage of design, construction, repair and reconstruction of structures that will ensure their operational reliability and durability in aggressive environment.

The development and implementation of technical solutions increasing the operational reliability and durability of hydraulic facilities for water-reclamation purposes while reducing their material and metal intensity are ones of the main areas of scientific research in the field of construction, repair and reconstruction of water-reclamation systems. Achieving high technical and economic performance of hydraulic facilities, taking into account the significant effect of aggressive environmental factors on them is possible using a scientifically sound combination of concrete and reinforced concrete structures with polymer and polymer cement composite materials. The highest level of reliability will be ensured by the structures providing the protection against damage, corrosion and filtration using the latest high performance composite materials. Optimization of technical solutions to increase the operational reliability and durability of hydraulic facilities is only possible provided that modern composite materials properties are comprehensively studied, their compliance with the requirements of water and reclamation construction, taking into account extreme operating conditions, is determined and new efficient technologies for future performance of the facilities are created. Along with expanding the use of polyme and polymer-cement composite materials, finding new varieties of polymer additives and obtaining reliable data on the durability of these materials in different operating conditions will be extended. Results. The Institute of Water Problems and Land Reclamation of NAAS has developed the main technological areas of polymer and polymer-cement composite materials application for increasing the operational reliability of hydraulic structures of water management and reclamation complex: polymeric film screens and geomembranes for increasing the anti-filtration properties; polymer and bitumen-polymer sealants for the arrangement and restoration of deformation joints; polymer and polymer-cement mixtures for structural repairs, restoration of bearing capacity, waterproofing protection, protection against filtration, accidental damage, corrosion, cavitation and actuation of hydraulic structures; concrete polymers, polymer concrete and polymer cement with high physical and mechanical properties for construction, repair and reconstruction of hydraulic structures.