Civil Engineering applications sector is distinguished from other sectors by employing hydraulic devices to operate in very harsh environment. Flow dams, gates and river barrages expect the cylinders to operate submerged in water, or worst, in saline sea water.
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Hydraulic Cylinders in Civil Engineering
Use of stainless steel rods and ceramic coating is usually required for this kind of applications.
Dams are very important for generating energy. In order to control and guide the power of water it is necessary to use hydraulic cylinders for controlling and maintaining constant its loading force. There are, for example, barrages used for protection of coasts, gates or hydro-electric stations.
Cylinder are also used for interrupting or reducing the speed flow of water, which supplies power to the turbine, in order to prevent its breakage. The Radial Gate (also called Tainter Gate) is frequently used for dams and other energy generating systems.
Hydraulic shock absorbers use fluids for converting mechanic energy of an earthquake in thermal energy. The process of absorption of energy is assisted by the shock absorber fluid, actuated by the piston and turned into mechanic force, which forces the passage of the fluid through the flow restrictor.
Seismic shock absorbers can be designed for linear and rotary damping. In other types of civil engineering applications they can be used for different movements, as well as in industrial and other fields of application.
Finally, huge hydraulic dampers are used in the field of structural engineering (buildings o critical industrial constructions) in order to reduce structural vulnerability of the constructions to the damages caused by seismic waves resonance.