DAMS

Aparna P
Dept. of Civil Engineering
Govt. College of Engineering Kannur
A dam is a barrier constructed across a river or a

natural stream to create a reservoir for impounding

water, or to facilitate diversion of water from the

river, or to retain debris flowing in the river along

with water
TYPES OF DAM
CLASSIFICATION BASED ON

FUNCTION
STORAGE DAM/ IMPOUNDING DAM

DETENTION DAM

DIVERSION DAM

COFFER DAM

DEBRIS DAM
STORAGE DAM/ IMPOUNDING DAM

Constructed to create a reservoir to store water

during the period when the flow in the river is in
excess of demand, for utilisation later on during the
period when demand exceeds the flow in the river
CLASSIFICATION BASED ON

HYDRAULIC
DESIGN
OVER-FLOW
DAM/OVER-FALL DAM

NON OVERFLOW DAM

CLASSIFICATION BASED ON

MATERIALS OF
CONSTRUCTION
RIGID DAM

NON RIGID DAM

CLASSIFICATION BASED ON

STRUCTURAL
BEHAVIOR
GRAVITY DAM

ARCH DAM

BUTTRESS DAM

EMBANKMENT DAM
CLASSIFICATION BASED ON

SIZE
SMALL DAM

INTERMEDIATE DAM

LARGE DAM
SELECTION OF
SITE
FACTORS WHICH AFFECT THE
CHOICE OF THE TYPE OF DAM
❖TOPOGRAPHY-VALLEY SHAPE
❖GEOLOGY & FOUNDATION CONDITION
❖AVAILABILITY OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
❖SPILLWAY SIZE & LOCATION
❖ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
❖EARTHQUAKE ZONE
❖COST
❖GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
GRAVITY DAM
FORCES ACTING ON A
GRAVITY DAM
Water pressure

Weight of dam

Uplift pressure

Earthquake

Silt pressure

Wave pressure

Ice pressure

Wind pressure
WATER PRESSURE

• FORCE EXERTED BY WATER IN RESERVOIR 0N U/S

• CALCULATED BY LAW OF HYDROSTATICS

• NON- OVERFLOW SECTION

𝟏Τ 𝒘𝑯𝟐 𝐻
•𝑷= 𝟐 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑠 ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑡 𝑎 ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 above the base
3
When u/s face of a dam is either inclined
or is partially vertical
• Water pressure- horizontal & vertical
• 𝑃𝐻 = 𝟏Τ𝟐 𝒘𝑯𝟐
• 𝑃𝑽 = 𝑾𝒕. 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒎
 MODES OF
FAILURES OF A
GRAVITY DAM
OVERTURNING

COMPRESSION AND CRUSHING

SLIDING

TENSION
OVERTURNING

The resultant force at any section cuts the base of the dam downstream
of the toe

In that case the resultant moment at the toe becomes clockwise(-ve)

If the resultant cuts the base within the body of the dam, there will be no
overturning
The dam must be safe against overturning

𝛴𝑅𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡
𝐹𝑆 =
𝛴𝑂𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡

𝛴𝑀𝑅
𝐹𝑆 =
σ 𝑀0
SLIDING

Dam may slide at its base

If the horizontal forces causing sliding are more than the resistance

available to it at that level.

The resistance against sliding may be due to friction alone, or due to

friction and shear strength of the joint

COMPRESSION / CRUSHING
𝑣
• Direct stress=
𝑏∗1
±𝑀𝑦 𝑣⋅ⅇ 6𝑣⋅ⅇ
• Bending stress= = 1Τ 2 = ± 2
𝐼 6𝑏 𝑏
𝑣 6ⅇ
• Total normal stress 𝑝𝑛 = 1 ±
𝑏 𝑏
𝑣 6ⅇ
• (𝑝𝑛)𝑡𝑜ⅇ = 1 +
𝑏 𝑏
𝑣 6ⅇ
• (𝑝𝑛)ℎⅇⅇ𝑙 = 1 −
𝑏 𝑏
When the eccentricity e = b/6

𝑣 6∗𝑏/6 2𝑣
(𝑝𝑛)𝑡𝑜ⅇ = 1+ =
𝑏 𝑏 𝑏

If e>b/6 the normal stress at heel will be –ve or tensile

For no tension to develop, the eccentricity should be less than b/6

The resultant should always lie within the middle third