Cavitation Erosion in Aging Hydraulic Concrete Structures

Concrete damages have been observed in many Swedish spillways and stilling basins after decades of operation—even without exposure to extreme events. Investigations indicate that cavitation is one of the contributing causes. However, there is still limited understanding of how cavitation interacts with aging concrete, where factors such as microcracking, weakened bonds, and material degradation may accelerate damage.

This is particularly important as many hydraulic structures are aging, while operating under conditions—such as high flow velocities—that increase the risk of cavitation damage.

At the same time, there is a lack of knowledge on how mitigation measures can be effectively adapted to this type of deterioration.

The results from this project will provide better tools for assessing cavitation risks and selecting effective mitigation strategies. This supports more reliable operation, targeted maintenance, and extended service life of hydropower structures.