MANAGEMENT OF THE RISK OF FLOODING AND WATER EROSION ON MOTORWAYS IN MOROCCO (Paper 691)

The risk of flooding and soil erosion is rising because of the impacts of climate change: period of heat waves and drought are prolonged and extreme rainfall events are becoming more intense and frequent. This worsening of climate conditions increases the vulnerability of transport infrastructure, the risk of undesirable movements of land and soil and the risk of flooding.
With the research project conducted concerning the assessment and modeling of the risk of water erosion on highways in Morocco under the effect of climate change, an overall map of the risk of erosion in Morocco was developed. With this high-resolution modeling, the quantities of displaced materials (erosion / deposition) under the effect of precipitation specific to each region can be evaluated.The simulations were carried out using the 3D model, which shows through physical laws the process of runoff formation and erosion for each given precipitation event.
In addition to the erosion risk overview map, medium-scale simulations were carried out in three potential-risk catchments. Consequently, the resilience of the drainage system of highway structures could be assessed and relevant recommendations could be made.To combat the phenomenon of water erosion,Innovative soil-fixing techniques have been developed within the framework of the Research & Development program deployed by the Marco National Highway Company (ADM).
The aim for the continuation of this project is to set up a monitoring system for a proactive management of the risk of erosion and flooding. In addition, a methodological handbook should be developed and used as a working tool for design engineers.