Lime treatment for hydraulic structures: benefits, challenges, and long-term performance
Bertola, F.; Nicaise, S.; Saussaye, L.; Verelst, K.; Van Hemert, H. (2025). Lime treatment for hydraulic structures: benefits, challenges, and long-term performance, in: Pina, C. et al. Dam World 2025, Lisbon, Portugal - Proceedings of the Fifth International DAM WORLD Conference: Preserving life through dams. pp. 1101-1116
In: Pina, C.; Portela, E.; Caldeira, L. (Ed.) (2025). Dam World 2025, Lisbon, Portugal - Proceedings of the Fifth International DAM WORLD Conference: Preserving life through dams. Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil: Lisboa. ISBN 978-972-49-2332-1. 2 Vol. (2790 p.) pp., more
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Document type: Conference paper
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| Keywords |
Hydraulic structures
Hydraulic structures > Dikes, shores and other flood defenses > Erosion protection
In-situ measurements
Wear resistance > Durability
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| Author keywords |
lime treatment; soil improvement and stabilization |
| Authors | | Top |
- Bertola, F.
- Nicaise, S.
- Saussaye, L.
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- Verelst, K., more
- Van Hemert, H.
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| Abstract |
Soil treatment with lime is a well-established technique that is safe, economical, and allows to reuse mediocre soils in transport infrastructure construction. By reducing landfill disposal and construction times, lime treatment offers significant advantages. Despite the extensive experience, the use of lime treatment in hydraulic structures is still far from its maturity. In addition to common requirements for traditional embankments, such as workability and stability, hydraulic structures require specific functionalities. Among these, the most relevant include watertightness (low permeability to prevent seepage), internal erosion resistance (resistance to piping, contact erosion, suffusion, regressive erosion), surface protection (resistance to external erosion) , and resistance to high water flows.
Over the past fifteen years, numerous studies, investigations, and full -scale projects have demonstrated the multiple benefits associated with the use of lime treatment for the construction of hydraulic structures. For instance, treating the soil with lime allows the valorization of locally available soils, and the simplification of the typical design cross section while also resulting in improved mechanical properties, higher erosion resistance, reduced overall costs, and material transport.
However, durability concerns still limit a widespread implementation of lime treatment for hydraulic structures. Being a relatively recent technology, there is limited documented feedback on its longterm performance and the effects of prolonged exposure to weathering, particularly concerning its specific functional requirements in hydraulic structures. It is essential to prove that lime treated hydraulic structures are not only efficient and sustainable but also long-term solutions.
This paper compiles and presents previous experiences with the aim of sharing the knowledge acquired during the construction and monitoring of full -scale structures. Dikes built in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands using lime treated soils are described. Their construction details, properties measured shortly after their construction, and results from monitoring campaigns conducted several years later, are discussed leading to valuable conclusions. |
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