Piano Key Spillway for Dams 1

1. INTRODUCTION

Design flood values of many older existing dams have been revised
upward, and consequently, the discharge capacity of the dam spillways must be
increased. In order to maximize the unit-discharge per available width, many
labyrinth spillways have been constructed in recent years.

An extensive investigation of these structures was performed by Taylor

(1968), who presents a capacity ratio by comparison with sharp-crested linear
weirs of the same width. In a follow-up study, Hay and Taylor (1970) propose a
design procedure for estimating the discharge over triangular and trapezoidal
labyrinth weirs. Their work shows a trapezoidal layout of labyrinth weir as
optimal. Darvas (1971) establishes a family of curves for designing labyrinth
weirs. These curves are based on experimental results of model studies for the
Wonorora and Avon weirs

As observed by Lemprire et al. (2003), traditional labyrinth spillways

require 1 m3 or 2 m3 of reinforced concrete to increase the flow by 1 m3=s.
Increases in flow have been carried out primarily for unit-discharge increases up
to 10 m3=s=m. Besides the relatively high construction costs, another important
disadvantage of the traditional labyrinth weirs is that they cannot be easily placed
on the crest of common concrete gravity dams. A large, flat area is required in
order to support the vertical walls and flat bottoms of the weirs. To meet the need
for a new kind of spillway, the Piano KeyWeir (PIANO KEY-Weir) was
developed. This new type of spillway is an innovative alternative of labyrinth
weirs (Lemprire and Ouamane 2003). Unlike traditional labyrinth weirs, the
bottoms of the keys are inclined, increasing the stability of the structure. The
reduced foundation area allows an easier implementation on the crest of the
existing dams. Lemprire and Ouamane (2003) present rough design criteria,
which are based on experiments performed in two types of PIANO KEY-Weirs at
the University of Briska, Algeria. The hydraulic behavior of PIANO KEY-Weirs
is quite different from that of conventional labyrinth weirs. In the PIANO KEY-

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 2

Weir, the flow is divided into two parts. One part comes from the inlet key of the
PIANO KEY-Weir, overflowing the key as a thin sheet, and the second part
comes from the outlet key, flowing as a jet toward the bottom of the key
(Ouamane and Lemprire 2006; Leite Ribeiro et al. 2007).

Considering that main difference, coupled with the fact that the theory of
labyrinth weirs has been primarily developed for trapezoidal or triangular shaped
structures, the design procedures proposed for labyrinth weirs are not applicable
for PIANO KEY-Weirs.

France, like many other countries, has numerous dams requiring spillway-
capacity upgrades to be in accordance with revised design flood. More than 160 of
these dams are owned by Electricit de France (EDF) and have an average age of
approximately 50 years The PIANO KEY-Weir has proven to be an economical
and efficient solution to augment the spillway-capacity of some of these dams.
The first implementation of such a spillway was carried out during the summer of
2006 in EDF Goulours dam. The PIANO KEY-Weir was successfully tested in
December 2006. Detailed design and construction issues are given by Laugier
(2007). Because of the complexity of flow, the number of geometrical parameters
influencing the capacity of a PIANO KEY-Weir, and the difficult management of
the energy-dissipation system downstream of such new structures, scaled
laboratory models are normally required. Systematic laboratory studies on PIANO
KEY-Weirs that will reduce the need for models are still lacking. The aim of this
work is to meet this need by analyzing some of the available existing data and
describing the operation of PIANO KEY-Weirs based on their major geometrical
dimensions.

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 3

2. THE PIANO KEY WEIR DESIGN

A totally different design has been studied for five years by Hydrocoop (a
non-profit-making international association), and this has been supported by more
than 50 hydraulic tests. The target is a structure which:
can be placed on existing or new gravity dam sections;
will allow for specific flows of up to 100 m3/s/m;
can multiply at least by four the flow of a Creager weir; and,
is structurally simple, and easy to build with the local resources of all
countries.

Fig.2.1. Piano key weir design

Preliminary model tests were done in 1999 at the LNH Laboratory in

France and in 2002 at Roorke University in India and Biskra University in
Algeria. Some shapes were then selected, and are based on:

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 4

a rectangular layout somewhat similar to the shapes of piano keys which

explains the name "Piano Keys weir" (thus "PIANO KEY. weir");
an inclined bottom of the upstream and downstream part (the part where
the flow enters is known as the inlet, and the other part the outlet); and,
a reduced width of the elements.

Many detailed tests were then done in 2003 on selected shapes at Biskra
University and some tests using a very wide flume at LNH. These detailed tests
provided the basis for optimizing the flow increases according to the ratios
between length, depth, width and shape of the elements, and particularly
according to the ratio.

The impact of various overhangs has also been studied. Particular attention
has been paid to the structural design and construction facilities for selecting the
most attractive solutions. Very simple longitudinal sections have at present been
preferred: it is possible that refining these shapes may slightly improve the cost
efficiency. Further studies are now under way in China (at IWHR in Beijing) and
India (Roorke University) as there are great possibilities for using PIANO KEY.
weirs in these two countries.

Fig.2.2. Very simple longitudinal sections

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 5

Fig.2.3. Practical application of piano key weir

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 6

3. EXPERIMENTAL DATA

To establish preliminary general-design criteria for PIANO KEY-Weirs,

data from a number of sources has been collected. Present data comprises the
experimental results carried out in laboratory flumes: at Ho Chi Minh City
University of Technology, (HCMUT), Vietnam and at the Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT), Roorkee, India , as well as data from three physical models
studies in the framework of EDFs All models have been operated respecting
Froude similarity. The collected data consist of released discharge as a function of
total upstream hydraulic head, which includes the velocity head. The geometric
characteristics of PIANO KEY-Weir models are indicated in Figure

Fig.3.1. Piano key weir models

The total discharge over a PIANO KEY-Weir is a function of several

parameters, as shown in Eq. (1), which can be summarized as follows:

where the fluid is characterized by its density , the kinematic viscosity , and the
surface tension ; g = acceleration of gravity; and H = total upstream hydraulic
head. The other parameters are related to the geometry of the PIANO KEY-Weir:

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 7

Fig.3.2.Physical piano key weir model

Fig.3.3.Laboratory key weir model

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 8

4. ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

To describe the discharge capacity of a PIANO KEY-Weir, its discharge

coefficient (CPIANO KEYW) is presented according to the common weir
formulation referred to the total developed crest length

The PIANO KEY-Weir discharge coefficient CPIANO KEYW can then

be expressed as a function of dimensionless geometric and hydraulic parameters

For all data, Reynolds number (R) and Weber number (W) are sufficiently
large to avoid fluid viscosity and surface tension scale effects. Due to the
systematic subcritical approach flow conditions and the Froude similarity, gravity
effects are correctly simulated. The studied PIANO KEY-Weirs are all rectangular
shaped ( 90) and thus is not included in the analysis. In a PIANO KEY-
Weir, the parameters a, b, B, L, and W are correlated

For the studied PIANO KEY-Weirs, the parameter P=P0 is equal to 0,

except for St-Marc where it is sufficiently high for not influencing the discharge
capacity. The effect of this parameter could therefore not be studied with the
existing data.

In order to analyze the efficiency of a given PIANO KEY-Weir, its release

capacity is related to a sharp-crested weir with crest length. A PIANO KEY-Weir
tends to behave like a linear weir as the upstream head increases.

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 9

Fig.4.1. Discharge capacity

Fig.4.2. Discharge area of piano key weir

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 10

5. PRELIMINARY DESIGN

In a typical project, the main input variables are the discharge to be

evacuated by the new structure and the maximum available hydraulic head (H),
while the principal constraints are the width of the structure (W) and the
maximum height of the PIANO KEY-Weir (P) Once the discharge enhancement
ratio is calculated for a given value of H and W, several types of PIANO KEY-
Weirs can be envisioned. After the choice of ratio L=W, the width of the inlet a
can be obtained. As values of r, H=a and L=W can correspond to different data
with different values of a=b and a=P, designers should choose the model to be
adopted based on geometrical similarity and after that, calculate a, b, and P. The
selection can be made on the basis of the flow approach condition (P/P1), for
example. This condition should be similar to the model from which the data come.

Fig.5.1. A typical project

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 11

Fig.5.2. Implementation and practical application

Notation
The following symbols are used in this piano key weir

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 12

6. STRUCTURAL DATA AND COSTS

Studies have been done for structures in reinforced concrete. Prefabricated

steel structures could also be used for specific flows of less than 20 m3/s/m, but
would probably be more expensive. The main stresses in reinforced concrete are
in the vertical walls between the inlet and the outlet; these walls act as overhangs
over the concrete blocks, and not as horizontal beams, and it is even possible, to
avoid thermal stresses, to design a vertical joint at the highest part of this wall.
The triangular shape of the wall considerably reduced the stresses as compared
with a rectangular wall; the thickness of the upper part of the wall may be small
(10 to 20 cm). The average thickness of the reinforced concrete structure may thus
be 15 to 25 cm for specific flows of less than 20 m3/s/m and in the range of 50 cm
for specific flow increases of 50 m3/s/m. A P.K. weir as presented above, with a
maximum wall height H, requires, per metre of spillway, a total area of reinforced
concrete of 4.2H. As the nappe depth saving is 0.4 or 0.5H, the necessary volume
of reinforced concrete for saving 1 m of depth along 1 m of existing spillway is
about ten times the wall average thickness, that means it varies from 1.5 m3 for H
= 2 up to 5 m3 for H = 8 m. As the increase in specific flow is about 1.5 H 1.5
increasing the flow by 1 m3/s requires 0.35 m3 of reinforced concrete for H = 2;
and 0.5 m to for H = 8 (to be compared with 2 m3 for the traditional labyrinth for
the UTE dam).

When using P.K. weirs for improving existing freeflow spillways, a

quantity of ordinary concrete equal to 70 per cent of the reinforced concrete
quantity should be added to the quantities.

For new dams, the extra cost as compared with a Creager weir is limited to
the cost of the reinforced concrete: 0.3 or 0.4 m3 per m3/s of the total spillway
capacity. Dozens of traditional labyrinth walls with a similar thickness have been
in operation for a long time and have had no special maintenance problems. It is,
advisable however, to use 350 or 400 kg of cement per m3 of reinforced concrete
and about 200 kg of steel, to guarantee a long life for the structure.

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 13

Construction methods may vary with the height of the structure as well as
the local economic situation and labour costs. They may be chosen with the
contractor and the detailed design can be adjusted accordingly. For structures
higher than 4 or 5 m, the Piano key weir overhang can easily be built in horizontal
steps of about 2 m height. Structures 2 to 5 m high may be precast with unit
weights of few tons

Fig.6.1.Structures 2 to 5 m high may be precast with unit weights of few tons

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 14

7. PIANO KEY SPILLWAY IN DAMS

For a spillway with a design flood of 2500 m3/s and 5000 m3/s of check
flood, a traditional design would use, for instance, four radial gates 12 m wide and
10 m high, with a freeboard of 5 m used for the check flood. The total length of
the spillway, including piers, will be 60 m. In case of total jamming of the gates,
the maximum flow over the gates will be 1000 m3/s, approximately the annual
flood. Four alternatives using P.K. weirs are

A Piano key weir about 80 m long with the sill level at the same level as
the top of the gates. For the check flood, the level would be the same. The nappe
depth of the P.K. weir would be, for the 100 year flood, about 1.5 m. it would be
thus necessary to buy more land than with the gated dam, but the overall cost
would be much lower, and the safety improved.
This weir requires 2000 m3 of reinforced concrete.
A PIANO KEY. weir 50 m long and two flap gates, 6 m high and 12 m
wide. This would add flexibility for managing the reservoir and
controlling floods.
A Piano key weir 50 m long and two low gates, 40 m each: these gates
could be placed 20 or 30 m below the dam crest to control the reservoir
and possibly to flush sediments.
A PIANO KEY. weir 40 m long and two radial gates, as in the basic
solution. The operating levels are the same as for the basic solution for
all floods.

For most new dams, at least one solution using P.K. weirs will thus be less
expensive than traditional solutions, while maintaining or improving the safety.
As there are no patents, these solutions may easily be implemented with the
resources of each country. P.K. weirs will probably be used more often for new
dams, increasing the flow of a Creager weir by about four times and requiring 0.4
m3 of reinforced concrete per m3/s of total spillway capacity. The construction
can be done by the main contractor, and the cost per m3/s would be about US$

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 15

100 in developing countries (to be spent in local currencies). The cost may be US$
300 to 500 in industrialized countries. This will make it possible to divide the
spillway length of a free flow spillway by four or to reduce by 60 per cent the loss
of storage. The combination of P.K. weirs with gates may also be very attractive.

Fig.7.1. Piano key weir in dams

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 16

8. PIANO KEY WEIRS COMPARED WITH FUSE

DEVICES

Various fuse devices have been used for the same purposes as considered
above for Piano key weirs. For new dams, Piano key weirs will usually be more
attractive than fuse devices, but some fuse devices may be more interesting for
some existing dams, for example:
on top of arch dams, where placing PIANO KEY. weirs may be
difficult; or,
for cost reasons, as in the examples below.

Three fuse devices are considered, in the following paragraphs, with

specific targets:
Thousands of small dams in the USA use flashboards for increasing
the storage of existing free-flow reservoirs. They are usually vertical
woodboards, standing against vertical steel pipes embedded in the
spillway sill concrete. The elements are usually about 1 m high or less.
They may be withdrawn by hand before the flood season, or are
overtopped by small floods and bend for the large floods (simple steel
plates directly embedded in the sill may be an alternative). This
solution is not expensive, but not precise, and requires some
maintenance. It could be used for increasing free-flow reservoir storage
by 0.5 to 1 m but, for safety reasons, the height of flashboards would
be limited to 25 per cent of the gap between the spillway sill and the
embankment crest, and the elements would bend for a water level well
below the crest.

They may thus be more attractive than P.K. weirs only where the required
increase in reservoir level is lower than 1 m.
The thickness of the various elements would be, for instance, such that a
first element would tilt for the present design flood and the last one for the

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 17

check flood. This solution is patented in most industrialized countries, but

it can be patent-free in most developing countries where its cost may be
even lower than the cost of P.K. weirs for increasing the free-flow spillway
capacity. They are less attractive for new dams, or for increasing the
storage.
Fuse gates are gravity elements which tilt when an uplift is created under
them for a predetermined upstream level. Their layout may be straight or
labyrinth shaped. Structural costs are lower than for Piano key weirs, but
their design is more complex and their patent requires payment in hard
currency. They may be attractive as compared with Piano key weirs for
improving existing large spillways. The drawback of fuse devices is the
loss of some elements and water, for instance, once per century. It may be
attractive to use Piano key weirs for one half of a spillway and fuse plugs
or fuse gates for the other half, and to design the fuse devices for tilting
only for a flood of low annual probability

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 18

9. ADVANTAGES OF PIANO KEY WEIRS

9.1.INCREASING THE OPERATING LEVEL OF FREE-FLOW

RESERVOIRS
If the nappe depth for the design flood is h, it will be possible to raise the
operating level by 0.6 h if lowering the sill by 0.9 h and installing P.K. weirs, of
which the height H will be 1.5 h. As the value h is between 1 and 4 m for many
existing dams, H will be usually between 2 and 6 m. Where the area of a free-flow
reservoir is more than 2 or 3 per cent of the catchment area, the volume stored in
the nappe depth reduces the downstream flow peak. It is necessary in this case to
reduce the nappe depth saving by the P.K. weir so as not to reduce the dam safety.
It should also be underlined that using a P.K. weir for existing dams reduces the
time for floods downstream of the dam to peak, when the reservoir is not full at
the beginning of the flood. Using Piano key. weirs in conjunction with gates
avoids these drawbacks.

9.2.INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF EXISTING FREE-FLOW

SPILLWAYS
It is often required to increase the spilling capacity of a free-flow spillway
by 50 to 100 per cent, sometimes more. P.K. weirs can be used accordingly. For
instance, if the nappe depth for the present design flood is h, lowering the sill by h
and placing a P.K. weir to keep the same operating level will increase the flow by
about 70 per cent, requiring, per extra m3/s, 0.5 m3 of reinforced concrete and
0.35 m3 of ordinary concrete

9.3.INCREASING STORAGE AND SAFETY OF EXISTING DAMS

Safety authorities often wish to increase the spillway capacity, while dam
owners mainly wish to increase the storage. It is possible to use PIANO KEY.
weirs to increase the storage by 30 per cent of the present nappe depth and to
increase the maximum discharge capacity by 50 per cent. The value of extra
storage may pay also for the extra safety.

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 19

9.4.INCREASING STORAGE AND FLOOD CONTROL BY EXISTING

FREE-FLOW RESERVOIRS
A very attractive solution may provide the advantages of a fully gated
solution, without its cost and drawbacks. The sill of the existing spillway can be
lowered by a depth equal to h ; P.K. weirs 1.5 h high will be placed along two-
thirds of the spillway and a flap gate 1.5 h high along one-third. This solution,
which has never been used, seems extremely attractive for thousands of existing
dams, as the storage saving would also pay for an increase in dam safety and
downstream flood control.

9.5.EMERGENCY SPILLWAYS
It is often necessary to add emergency spillways to existing gated
spillways. Instead of adding costly gated emergency spillways, which do not
avoid the risk of gates jamming, it could often be very advantageous to use a
PIANO KEY. weir spilling the nappe depth corresponding to the freeboard. A
PIANO KEY. weir may discharge for instance, a specific flow of more than 50
m3/s/m for a nappe depth of 4 m.

9.6.P.K. WEIRS IN CANALS

PIANO KEY. weirs may be used on flat bottoms, as is the case, with
traditional labyrinth weirs, with a better cost efficiency, especially for large
specific flows.

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 20

10.CONCLUSION

Piano key weirs are simple solutions as safe and easy to operate as
traditional free flow spillways and much more efficient. They may:
1. increase the specific flow fourfold;
2. allow specific flows of up to 100 m3/s/m;
3. reduce substantially the cost of most new dams and guarantee their safety;
4. increase the storage of many existing reservoirs for a cost in the range of US
5/m3 in most developing countries, and US 25 in industrialized countries;
5. improve the flood control by many existing dams; and,
6. increase the spilling capacity of many existing dams with 0.5 m3 of reinforced
concrete per extra m3/s.

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)

Piano Key Spillway for Dams 21

11.REFERENCES

1. Bieri. M. Leite Ribeiro, M. Boillat, J. L and Schleiss A. J (2009).

Rehabilitation de la capacite devacuation des crues Integration de
Piano Key Weirs sus des barrages existants.
2. Laugier F (2007) Design and construction of the first Piano Key Weir
spillway at the Goulours Dam.

Dept of Civil Engineering GPTC, Palakkad (2017 18)