Construction Methodology and

Quality Control Aspects

of
Tehri Dam

Rajeev Vishnoi
THDC India Limited
 CONTENTS
 Overview of Tehri Dam Project
 Special features of Dam
 Construction Sequence of Tehri Dam
 Construction Materials used in Dam
 Planning for Hauling of Fill Material
 Quality Control Aspects of Tehri dam
 Conclusions
 TEHRI
HYDRO POWER
COMPLEX (2400 MW)

THDC India Ltd.

 TEHRI DAM ( STAGE-I)

UPPER RESERVOIR PSP TEHRI DAM ( STAGE-II)

FRL. EL. 830.0 M

MDDL. EL. 740.0 M LOWER RESERVOIR

KOTESHWAR DAM
FRL. EL. 612.5 M MIN.LEVEL EL. 606 M

TEHRI HPP KOTESHWAR HPP

~ 22 KM

L-SECTION OF TEHRI HYDRO POWER COMPLEX

(UPPER AND LOWER RESERVOIRS)
LAYOUT OF TEHRI PROJECT


SCHEMATIC VIEW OF TEHRI DAM PROJECT
Type : Rock and Earth fill
Height of dam : 260.5 m
Base : 1128 m
Width at top : 25.5 m
Length at the top : 575 m

THDC India Ltd.

 CHUTE SPILLWAY

Head : 220 M
Type : Conventional
Stilling Basin
Type
Max Discharge : 5500 cumecs
Width : 39.5m at top
50m at toe
Regulating Gates : Radial 15.5m
high/10.5m wide
Aerators : 3 nos on Glacis
Stilling Basin : 140 x 50 m
22m deep pool
55 m high walls
D/s River Bed : Protection by
Concrete Blocks
 RIGHT BANK SHAFT SPILLWAYS

Head : 220 M
Type : Vertical Shafts
Nos : 2 (Un-gated)
Intakes : Funnel type (34m dia)
Discharge : 3900 cumecs
Vertical Shaft : 12m dia
Junction with : Tangential with 6.0m
tunnel opening
De-aeration System : Through a Separation
Chamber and de-aeration
shaft opening above MWL
Velocity at toe : 45 m/s
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL
OUTLET
• BOTTOM MOST OUTLET IN
THE PROJECT AT EL 700M.

• BEING USED FOR INITIAL

FILLING OF RESERVOIR

• TO BE USED FOR IRRIGATION

RELEASES

• TO BE USED FOR
EMERGENCY EVACUATION

• TANGENTIALLY JOINING T-3

SHAFT SPILLWAY

• LINING COATED WITH

POLYUREA
 LEFT BANK SHAFT SPILLWAYS

Head : 220 M
Type : Vertical Shafts
Nos : 2 (Gated)
Intakes : Tunnel type (80m long)
Discharge : 3800 cumecs
Vertical Shaft : 12m dia
Junction with : Tangential with 5.5m
tunnel opening
De-aeration System : Through a Separation
Chamber and de-aeration
shaft opening in a De-
aeration tunnel
Velocity at toe : 45 m/s
THDC India Ltd.
THDC India Ltd.
Power House Under ground
Cavern Size 197mX24mX63m
Type of Turbines Francis
Rated Head 188 M
Speed 214.3 RPM
Installed Capacity 4X250 MW
Annual Energy 3568 MUs
Transmission System 400 KV
SPECIAL FEATURES
OF DAM
 MOST SUITABLE TYPE OF DAM (WITH CENTRAL CLAY
CORE) IN EARTHQUAKE ZONES ON ACCOUNT OF
FLEXIBIITY AND CAPACITY TO ABSORB ENERGY.

 LIBERAL FREE BOARD OF 9.5 M ABOVE FRL

PROVIDED TO PREVENT OVERTOPPING OF THE DAM.

 COMPACTION OF SHELL MATERIAL TO A HIGH

DENSITY OF 2.36 T/CUM TO REDUCE SETTLEMENT
AND BUILD UP OF PORE PRESSURE DURING
EARTHQUAKES.

 A 25.5 M WIDE CREST PROVIDED TO SAFEGUARD THE DAM

AGAINST THE EFFECTS OF MAGNIFICATION OF EARTHQUAKE
ACCELERATION AT TOP OF THE DAM.
 A LAYER OF FINE FILTER CONSISTING OF FINE SAND
PROVIDED ON THE UPSTREAM SIDE OF CLAY CORE. IN
UNLIKELY EVENT OF CRACKING OF CORE, THIS MATERIAL
WOULD GET WASHED INTO CRACKS AND SEAL THEM.

 DOWNSTREAM FILTERS (COARSE & FINE) HAVE BEEN

PROVIDED TO PREVENT MIGRATION OF FINE PARTICLES OF
CORE IN THE EVENT OF ITS CRACKING.

 FLATTER U/S (2.5H:1V) AND D/S (2H:1V) SLOPES OF THE

DAM COMPARED TO MANY OTHER HIGH DAMS
CONSTRUCTED IN HIGHLY SEISMIC REGION.

 PROVISION OF INSPECTION GALLERIES AT EL. 725M & 835

M WITHIN THE CORE OF THE DAM.

 353 NOS. INSTRUMENTS INSTALLED TO MONITOR THE

PORE PRESSURE, SETTLEMENT, SEEPAGE, TEMPERATURE,
ETC.
 CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE OF
TEHRI DAM
 Foundation Treatment
 Construction of Coffer Dam
 Fill Placement for Main Dam
Excavation of the main dam core trench – Jan 1991
 FOUNDATION TREATMENT

 Surface Treatment
 Excavation up to Hard Rock
 50 mm thick Shotcreting in entire core-seat area

 Sub-surface Treatment
 10 metre deep (normal to surface) consolidation
grouting
 60 m deep, two-row grout curtain at the centre
line of core seat
Coffer Dam from Downstream Side - March 1996
 CROSS-SECTION OF TEHRI DAM
INSPECTION
GALLERY
(EL. 835 M) MAIN DAM AXIS
EL. 839.5 M
FSL 830.0 M

RIP-RAP INSPECTION RIP-RAP

U/S GALLERY
(EL. 725 M) D/S
FINE
FILTER COARSE
FILTER
SHELL
CORE EL. 632.0 M
COFFER DAM
SHELL

SHELL : 201.6 LAC CUM

CLAY : 35.3 LAC CUM
FILTERS : 15.10 LAC CUM
RIP RAP : 27.8 LAC CUM
TOTAL QTY OF FILL PLACEMENT : 279.8 LAC CUM
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
USED IN DAM
 ZONES OF TEHRI DAM

Main Dam Axis

Top Inspection Gallery
(El.835.4 m ±)
El.839.5 m  25.5m
FRL 830.0 M 

2.5
1
U/S 2.0 D/S
Coarse Filter 11 Fine Filter 1
Rip-Rap 4 3 Rip-Rap
5 0.5 0.1 5
EL.735.0 M
Inspection Gallery
2D FINE FILTER
3 (El. 725.0 ±)
Shell 1 Shell
El.681.00 
2A 0.4 2B
Coarse Filter
El.655.0 m  Core 4
2D
2A 1
 El.635.0± El.638.00m
3 1 1
2A 3 2D
Coffer Dam 0.3 0.1  El.615.0±
1
El.600.0 m  2C
 595.00 (+/-)
Consolidation Grouting

Concrete Plug Grouting Gallery

Grout Curtain
 Unprocessed Shell material – Well graded terrace
gravely material, maximum size 600 mm, fines (<4.75
mm) less than 35%, silt content (<0.075 mm) not
more than 5%, provided further that 80% of the
material shall not have aleurite content exceeding
30%.
 Processed Shell material
 Below El. 615 m (downstream) - Well-graded terrace gravelly
material, maximum size 600 mm, fines (<4.75 mm) between
10-22%
 Between El. 615 to 625 m (downstream) - Well graded
terrace gravelly material, maximum size 600 mm, fines
(<4.75 mm) between 10-18%, silt content not more than 5%
 Core material - Well-graded impervious core material
having maximum size up to 200 mm and 80 mm in
central portion and near abutment respectively.
 Fine filter - Maximum size unto 20 mm, silt content
<5%.
 Coarse filter : Sand and gravel mixture, maximum size
60 mm, silt content <5%.
 Rip-rap : Well-graded hard blasted rock with maximum
size up to 1200 mm
PLANNING FOR HAULING
FILL MATERIAL
 Governing Factors
 Volume of fill materials
 Haul distance
 Schedule for construction of dam
 Topography of area
 Available Technology
 Factors considered for Tehri dam
 Total Volume of fill = 27.80 MCM
 Required rate of fill / year = 7.0 – 7.5 MCM
 Borrow areas (except rip-rap) located on
right bank
 Limited space available for construction of
haul roads
 Type of Machinery Available
 Planning for Shell Material
 Obtained from Dobata borrow area located at an
average distance of 5 km from dam site and laying
between elevation varying from 680m to 720 m
 Directly to be hauled from site without processing.
 5.2 cum bucket capacity electric shovel for loading
supported by D8/D9 dozers
 30T dumpers for transportation
 Analysis of traffic density of dumpers & other
vehicles
 Minimum allowable distance between 2 dumpers
moving on either side = 40m
 Planning for Clay core Material
 Obtained from Koti borrow area located at a
distance of about 6 km from dam site and
processed by blending it with coarser material (<200
mm) from Dobata & transported to one intermediate
point (New Dobata, at 3 km upstream of dam)
 A stockpile of alternate layers of clay & coarser
material of height 4 m was formed and blended.
 Material from these stockpiles was hauled using 30T
dumpers & shovels/backhoe.
Since grading of roads in rock abutments for crossing clay zone
was not considered proper, an alternate scheme for crossing clay
core zone was adopted is shown below:
CLAY CORE CROSSING ARRANGEMENTS
 Planning for Filter Material
 Different fractions of filter material were produced
by crushing and screening river born material
available at Dobata Shell borrow area.
 Stockpiles of about 2-3 m height was created by
laying different sized material to obtained well
graded filter material.
 A stockpile of alternate layers of clay & coarser
material of height 4 m was formed and blended.
 Material from these stockpiles was hauled using
30T dumpers & shovels/backhoe.
 Planning for Rip-Rap Material
 The quarry for rip-rap material (Asena) was located at a
distance of about 25 km from dam site. The material at
Asena quarry was blasted for obtaining material of required
gradation and transported to dam site.
 The capacity of dumpers was restricted to 20 T with backhoe
of capacity of 3.00/1.70 cum was used for haulage in view of
haulage distance of 25 km and plying of these dumpers on
narrow public road.
 In view of longer lead and requirement of Rip-Rap material
being more in last two seasons and keeping the production
rate of Rip-Rap constant, a buffer stock was maintained near
dam site. The stocked material was used during the peak
demand of Rip-Rap material.
 PLANNING OF HAUL ROADS

 Due to delayed availability of quarry for rip-rap

material, roads on upstream face had to be provided,
which were required to be used for placement of rip-
rap material.
 These roads were used for placement of fill materials
for all zones of dam and facilitated to cope up with
rising height of dam.
 Since this road was having steep gradient(10%), the
roads from borrow areas meeting upstream dam face
at El. 670.0 m, El. 700 m, El. 740 m, El. 780 m and El.
810 m were also used.
 PLANNING OF HAUL ROADS Cont…
 These roads were graded downward and upward to
serve the maximum possible use, till the next road at
higher elevation was available for the purpose.
 All along the road from Dobata shell borrow area, fixed
water sprinklers were provided by the contractor,
which proved to be quite useful for increasing the
efficiency of dumpers and reduction in traffic density.
 EQUIPMENT PLANNING
 Governing Factors
 Clay core placement as the most critical activity since
placement in other zones governed by its placement rate.
 Max. quantity of clay that could be placed in one season is
0.13 MCM
 Year wise fill placement targets

 Job & Management factor

 Human efficiency factor

 Bucket fill factor

 Standby equipments
EQUIPMENT DIPLOYED BY DAM CONTRACTOR
 The major quantities (except riprap) of dam were
placed in five years between 1997 and 2002.
 The maximum fill placed during an year was more
than 7.5 million cum.
 Maximum quantity of 54000 cum was placed in a
single day.
 TOTAL FILL PLACEMENT – 280 LAC. CUM.
QUALITY CONTROL ASPECTS
OF TEHRI DAM
 QUALITY ASSURANCE

Quality assurance, which includes quality

control, deals with the complete system
necessary to obtain the quality needed for a
project to perform the functions intended. It
encompasses design, specifications,
contractual relationships, training, product
control, inspection and testing (for control and
for acceptance) and feedback.
 OBJECTIVE
 To ensure establishment and compliance
of quality assurance plan in association
with Engineer incharge and Design
organization.
 To analyse results of quality tests.
 To take remedial measures wherever
required to achieve the desired results.
 Documentation and follow up.
 ORGANIZATIONAL SET-UP
FOR
QUALITY CONTROL

 Field Quality Control Division for Dam,

Spillways & Power House
 Central Material Testing and Soil Lab
 MAIN DAM
 Keeping in view the massive quantities of
material and elaborate testing required for
the proper quality control of all the above
materials, the testing/quality checks were
divided into two stages.

1. Quality checks before placement of

materials in Dam body.
2. Quality checks after placement of
materials in the Dam body.
 TESTS BEFORE PLACEMENT
Granular Composition & Moisture Content
 Clay Core – 2429 tests were carried out with
frequency 1 in 1438 cum.
 Shell Material – 1430 tests were carried out
 Fine & Coarse Filter – 7273 tests were carried out.
 Rip-rap Material – More than 460 tests were
carried out.
 TESTS AFTER PLACEMENT
1. Layer Thickness
 Clay Core – Layers of 40 cm thickness compacted
to 35 cm.
 Shell Material – Layers of 80 cm thickness
compacted to 70 cm.
 Fine & Coarse Filter – Loose Layers of 40 cm
thickness compacted to 35 cm.
 Rip-rap Material – Loose layers of 1.50 m were
compacted using 15t vibratory rollers.
 TESTS AFTER PLACEMENT
2. Dry Density of material
 Clay Core – 1.90 t/cum for central position & 1.85
t/cum for contact zone.
 Shell Material – Ring & Water replacement method
used. In 5800 density tests, 2.36 t/cum generally
achieved.
 Fine & Coarse Filter – Relative density was
generally 80% in more than 5700 tests.
 Rip-rap Material – In more than 230 tests,
1.85t/cum generally achieved.
 QUALITY AUDIT

 MOU was signed between THDC & CSMRS,

New Delhi
 CSMRS made independent checks and also
witnessed testing by THDC
 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) were
regularly appraised about quality checks
 CONCLUSIONS
 A detailed construction planning including
construction methodology, selection of type and
number of equipments to be deployed is an
important aspect for timely completion of any
project.
 With well planned construction and strong quality
assurance, THDC has been able to build a 260.5 m
high Earth & Rockfill dam in Earthquake Zone – IV
with adverse geological conditions. With strong
quality objectives, THDC has been successfully
operating this Mega project by satisfactorily fulfilling
the irrigation and electricity demand of Northern
region.
THDC India Ltd.