Exercise 6

Give the derivatives of the following words using the suffixes –( t)ion; -ment. Read and translate them:

construct- improve-

connect- irrigate-

combine- navigate-

develop- product-

Exercise 7

Read and translate the text. Be ready to discuss it.

Hydraulic engineering

Hydraulic engineering includes the construction of dams and power plants, ports, etc. With growth of towns, cities and their industries, with the increase of population the demand for water rises rendering the work of water power engineer ever more important. There are so many uses for river water that it seems natural it is always made to serve more than one purpose. A large reservoir formed by the dam may be used for flood control, for improving industrial and domestic water supply for nearby areas, for irrigation and navigation, for recreation and sport. To accomplish such miscellaneous tasks a hydropower development built on the river should comprise besides the dam such structures as a power station, navigation locks, spillway facilities and canals and tunnels for discharging floods, and other ancillary structures of minor importance.

In harnessing a river to make it serve the man a dam, an impervious barrier should be placed in its way, which impounds water and raises the level of the river thus creating the head necessary for power generation. Most electrical energy is produced in large power stations by the conversion of mechanical energy or heat. The mechanical energy of falling water is used to drive turbine generators in hydroelectric stations. Hydroelectric power plants are built on rivers. Large-capacity hydroelectric power plants are commonly located at considerable distances from the consumers of electric power. The production process at these plants is rather simple: the water flows into hydroturbine runner, acts upon the runner blades and rotates the runner and the turbine shaft. The generator shaft is connected to the turbine runner shaft. The difference in the water level influences the power capacity of a plant, i.e. the magnitude of the water head and the daily in flow of water fluctuates considerably according to the season.

First, construction sites for dams and power plants must be carefully selected according to geological, hydrogeological and seismological conditions. The construction of dams and power plants can begin when the project is approved by commission of scientists when they are sure that the site for the dam or plant is potentially undangerous.

Since dams are to withstand various stresses, much thought should be given to the problems of increasing their strength, watertightness, stability and safety. It becomes all the more important nowadays as the heights of dams have steadily been increased and the dams of around 200-300 m in height become a reality. This fact calls for a drastic improvement of the methods of designs and a deeper knowledge of the foundation character and the properties of the materials used.

Well executed, the dam is of great benefit to the community but if it is not, a dam failure is, perhaps, the most serious man-made catastrophe likely to occur in the peace time. The disasters that took place showed that the mechanism of a dam failure is very complex, that a whole series of effects occur in quick succession. The determination of the true state of stress in a dam undertaken so far now requires a more elaborate treatment as people have come to realize that the best of theories is useless if the materials used do not comply with the assumptions made about their properties.

One of the greatest advantages of a water-power station is that it utilizes an energy carrier which renews itself constantly and does not exhaust energy resources. Cascades of hydropower stations, which simultaneously solve problems of irrigation, water supply, navigation and fishing have been constructed on the Ob’, Angara and Yenisei rivers. The building of large energy systems, which are linked to form power grids, ensures reliable power supply.

A port is a harbour sheltered from winds and storms either naturally or artificially where marine terminal facilities are provided consisting of pier or wharves. The terminal must be served by railroad, highway or inland waterway connections.

The availability on inland communications has an important bearing on the location of a port. Meteorological phenomena- winds, storms, etc. claim special attention of the designer of protective structures, such as breakwaters. They are built away from the shore on the side of the port mostly affected by prevailing winds and waves. Being gravity structures breakwaters depend for their stability upon their weight. Natural rock and concrete or combination of both are the materials which form 95% or more of all breakwaters constructed.

Notes to the text:

navigation lock судоходный шлюз

take place происходить

power grid энергетическая система

water head напор воды

call for требовать