Barrages
Barrages intercept the watercourse in a specific area. There can be two different types of barrages which differ according to their dimensions: dams or weirs.
Dams
Dams are high works that, as well as intercepting the watercourse, create a tank that is useful to regulate the flow rate. They can be hundreds of metres high. Dams can be made of concrete or melted materials.
Weirs
Weirs are modest height works that usually retain the high water within the river bed. Their maximum height is ten metres. They can be fixed or mobile, according to the bed configuration, the maximum flow rate and the need to avoid, during floods, excessive overflowing which would be dangerous in the area above the weir. Fixed weirs are made of masonry or reinforced concrete and are bound to be overcome by water during floods or flow rates that are higher than what the plant can bear. This is why they are usually shaped to avoid erosion. Mobile weirs have a fixed part, made of masonry or reinforced concrete, and a mobile part (called bulkhead) usually made of steel.
Special reports
-
15 April 2014
How rich are we …. in blue gold?
Water footprint, water availability and use on a planetary scale...
-
13 May 2018
Small steps, great footprints
Have you ever wondered how much space is taken up by an apple or a steak?...
30 April 2022
Solar energy in Italy: where do we stand?
The Sun is the main source of energy on our planet, from which we derive almost all the forms of…
-
5 September 2021
Faraday, an electrifying biography
"The important thing is to know how to take all things quietly". Michael Faraday...
14 July 2021
Italy’s renewable sources
Renewable energy sources in Italy The Energy Services Operator (GSE) periodically publishes data and statistics on the renewable energy sources…
18 February 2021
Is lithium the new petroleum?
Today petroleum vies for the title of “contemporary gold” with several competitors, one of those is certainly lithium...
-
15 April 2014
How rich are we …. in blue gold?
Water footprint, water availability and use on a planetary scale...
-
13 May 2018
Small steps, great footprints
Have you ever wondered how much space is taken up by an apple or a steak?...
-
30 April 2022
Solar energy in Italy: where do we stand?
The Sun is the main source of energy on our planet, from which we derive almost all the forms of…
-
15 April 2014
How rich are we …. in blue gold?
Water footprint, water availability and use on a planetary scale...
From the Multimedia section
Facts
-
The “wave-swallowing” dragon
Wave Dragon, that swallows waves and generates electricity is a plant...
Bio-climatic architecture
Solar energy is playing a vital role with reference to bioclimatic architecture...
The photovoltaic train
In Italy the PVTRAIN project by Trenitalia (co-financed by the European Union) plans...
-
The plant of Almeria
In the Tabernas desert, 30 km north-east of the Andalusia town of Almeria (Spain)...
-
Italian offshore wind farm
The first Italian wind farm will be installed in the waters of the Strait of Otranto...
An artificial geyser
Electric and thermal power produced from geothermal energy depend on the existence of underground infiltrations...
A hydrogen house
In Settimo, a municipality close to Turin, the first Unité d’Abitation has been created...
-
16 May 2011
The “wave-swallowing” dragon
Wave Dragon, that swallows waves and generates electricity is a plant...
Bio-climatic architecture
Solar energy is playing a vital role with reference to bioclimatic architecture...
-
The photovoltaic train
In Italy the PVTRAIN project by Trenitalia (co-financed by the European Union) plans...
The plant of Almeria
In the Tabernas desert, 30 km north-east of the Andalusia town of Almeria (Spain)...
-
16 May 2011
The “wave-swallowing” dragon
Wave Dragon, that swallows waves and generates electricity is a plant...
-
Bio-climatic architecture
Solar energy is playing a vital role with reference to bioclimatic architecture...
-
The photovoltaic train
In Italy the PVTRAIN project by Trenitalia (co-financed by the European Union) plans...