DIFFERENT TYPES OF

DAMS
AND
CONSTRUCTION
TECHNIQUES
BY:
DEENA
THAYALAN.T
4th YEAR – CIVIL.
CONTENTS:
 Introduction

 Definition

 Uses of Dams

 Structure of Dam

 Types of Dams

 Selection of the Dam Type

INTRODUCTION:
 A large amount of water would run off from river
to oceans without being useful if dams are not
constructed.

 Water is the basic need of living organisms and so

it is necessary to store it.

 And so dams are built to store water and this

stored water is then used for various purposes.

 Hence, dams are an important structure in civil

engineering
DEFINITION:
 A Dam may be defined as a solid barrier (or)
Hydraulic structure of fairly Impervious material
built across the river to create a reservoir on its
upstream side for impounding water for various
purposes.
USES OF DAMS:
 To Store Water

 Irrigation

 Drought and Flood Control

 Hydro Power Generation

 To Develop Fisheries
STRUCTURE OF DAM:
TYPES OF DAM:
The classification based on the structure are,

 Gravity Dams

 Butress Dams

 Arch Dams

 Embankment Dams
GRAVITY DAMS:
 A gravity dam is a solid concrete structure, generally
having a triangular profile, which is so designed that
it can safely stand against the precalculated volume
of water by virtue of its weight.
(OR)

 Gravity dams are dams which resist the horizontal

thrust of the water entirely by their own weight. Can
be made of earth or rock fill or concrete.
 Bhakra Dam across river Sutlej in Himachal Pradesh
is the highest concrete Gravity dam in Asia and
Second Highest in the world.

 Length at top 518.16m (1700 feet), Width at base

190.5m (625 feet) and at the top is 9.14m (30 feet).
BUTRESS DAMS:
 Butress dams are derived from gravity dams. This
type of dams are supported uses thin concrete
slab which is supported from downstream side by
buttresses.

 It uses multiple reinforced columns to support the

dams. Since it has relatively thin structure so
there is considerable amount of saving of
concrete.
 Usually, buttress dams are made of concrete and may
be reinforced with steel bars.

 The Jawa Dam is the remains of an ancient masonry

gravity dam on Wadi Rajil at Jawa in Mafraq
Governorate, Jordan, 58 Kilometres. It is the oldest
ARCH DAMS:
 It is an arch-shaped solid structure made up of
concrete which is designed in such a way that a
major part of the thrust forces acting on the dam
are transmitted to arch.

 Transmits most of horizontal water thrust behind

them to the abutments by the arch action.
Thinner and requires less material than any other
type of dam. Used only in narrow canyons.
TYPES OF ARCH DAMS:
 1. Constant Radius Arch Dams – Radius of
curvature throughout the structure is constant
and upstream face is vertical.

 2. Variable Radius Dams – Curvatures are

different on upstream and downstream sides.

 The Idukki Dam, located in Kerala, India is a

168.91m (554 feet) tall arch dam.
EMBANKMENT DAMS:
 These are Non-Rigid structures which are build
over wide valleys with varying foundations. These
are Trapezoidal in shape and are build of single
type of material (Such as Earth fill or Rock fill) or
Combination of more than one.

 The main advantages of these dams is that can be

constructed on weak foundation. Impervious core
is placed in the middle of the embankment body.
 The Tehri Dam is the highest dam in India and one
of the tallest in the world. It is a multi-purpose
rock and earthfill embankment dam on the
Bhagirathim River near Tehri in
SELECTION OF DAM TYPE:
 Material Availability

 Seismicity

 Geology and Foundation Strength

 Hydrology

 Valley Shape and Overburden

COFFER DAM:
FAILURES IN DAM:
 Sliding along horizontal plane ( Shear Failure)
Net Force > Shear Resistance at that
level

 Rotation about the Toe

 Failure of material
THANK
YOU..!