Interaction of Flow and Incrustation in the Roman Aqueduct of Nîmes
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 113, Issue 2
Abstract
The 2,000‐year‐old Roman aqueduct of Nîmes functioned for about eight centuries, but once it was no longer properly maintained, it suffered from severe incrustation. That problem, by no means confined to antiquity, resulted from two principal causes: (1) the chemical composition of the water, high in calcium and low in magnesium; and (2) the very low gradients of this gravityflow conduit. Calcium carbonate deposits formed at the rate of more than a millimeter per annum. This paper: (1) describes the topographical reasons for the gradients and addresses the probable flow conditions in the unencumbered channel on the basis of Manning's formula; (2) presents a likely mechanism of deposit formation that fits equilibrium and thermodynamic considerations; and (3) shows the results of a numerical analysis that relates deposit growth to flow characteristics. The findings are consistent with the archeological relics and the historical traditions.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 113 • Issue 2 • February 1987
Pages: 141 - 156
Copyright
Copyright © 1987 ASCE.
History
Published online: Feb 1, 1987
Published in print: Feb 1987
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