×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

REBAR effects on the natural environment

REBAR effects on the natural environment

REBAR effects on the natural environment

(OP)
50 years ago, concrete and rebar was dump into a river.  There are complaints and concerns about the effects of rebar and concrete on the water quality and fish habitat.

Can anyone tell me if these concerns are legitimate?

What are the environment impacts?

RE: REBAR effects on the natural environment

k9k2j2:

As an environmental engineer I would think that this would be a beneficial thing in that the debris would provide a man made shelter for aquatic life in the river similar to what is done with artifical reef construction in the ocean.  As long as it is not an impediment to the flow of the river I would look at it as such.  Removing it may case more harm than good.

As for the materials affecting the river, concrete would serve to buffer the water pH due to the presence of lime and similar compounds in the original concrete mix.  The rebar may be a danger to people or boats but I would think that the rusting of rebar would add no significant increase to the iron levels in the water than what is already naturally present.

Good question...

BobPE

RE: REBAR effects on the natural environment

If those materials were dumped in a flowing and freshwater body, a river, concentrations of any kind of contaminant would be minimal to make a negative effect on the environment. But it depends on how much metal is there.  If this went on for 50 years... all the impacts that can be done are done.. so why owrry

RE: REBAR effects on the natural environment

The use of broken concrete as rip-rap along lakes and streams has been a common practice.  Although it is not very aesthetic looking, the practice has been a cheap way to reduced erosion and dispose of broken concrete.  I agree with the other comments, there are more benifits than bad effects.

RE: REBAR effects on the natural environment

as stated above, any damage has already been done.  The only significant impact I can see is that the concrete may have had a coating of oil, grease or other contaminant depending on it's original use.  This would have washed off in the first few years after dumping.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources