3 Review(s)

As dams age, they are subject to a series of external agents and processes which tend to deteriorate the qualities with which they were originally conceived to stand against these actions. At the same time, it is often necessary to respond to increased safety standards, either in the structural or hydrological fields. Reservoir sedimentation or water quality issues within the reservoir also give raise to problems that must be addressed. Lastly, climatic change in the management of water resources, and the need for sustainability have clearly become new incidence factors with which Dam Owners will have to coexist in the future. Therefore it is obvious that an increase in budget allocation for remedial and conservation measures is required, in order to reach the increasing operation, supply and security measures which are being established. The relevance of this factor is mostly emphasized in developed countries which own an important heritage of aging dams. In this context, Dam Maintenance and Rehabilitation II constitutes a complete review of the state of art in techniques concerning dam retrofitting and conservation. Contributions are presented either in English or Spanish and correspond to a wide range of topics related to dam maintenance, behaviour evaluation and rehabilitation. This shared knowledge and experience will surely be highly relevant for dam academics and professionals at all technical and administrative levels.