Elementary profile of Gravity Dam chapter-2 B-2

 An elementary profile of a gravity dam is the theoretical shape of its cross-

Elementary
profile

H
P P

R
W B/3
B A
wH
cwH
u
BY ALEBEL ABUHAY 1
 Elementary profile of Gravity Dam…
 Forces acting on an elementary dam: the magnitude and the line of
action of the three forces :
 Self weight of the dam: W=0.5*(B*H)*G*γw, where G= the specific
gravity of the dam. The line of action is at B/3 from the heel.
 Water pressure: P=0.5* γw*H2 , acts at H/3 from the base.
 Uplift pressure: U=0.5*B*(c* γw*H), acts at B/3 from the heel
 Base width of an elementary profile: The base width of an elementary
profile for reservoir full condition is found separately :
 For no-tension basis and
 For no-sliding basis.
 The larger of the two values is taken as the minimum base width of
the elementary profile.

BY ALEBEL ABUHAY 2
 Elementary profile of Gravity Dam…
 Base width for no-tension basis: Let R is the resultant of all the forces
acting on the dam when the reservoir is full.
 For no tension at the heel, R must pass through the middle third.
 The maximum value of eccentricity (e) is B/6 when the resultant
passes through the middle third point A.
 When the resultant passes through the point A, the sum of the
moment of all the forces about A will be zero.
 Taking moments of the forces about A, with counter-clockwise moments
as positive:
W ( B / 3)  U ( B / 3)  P( H / 3)  0  (W  U ) * ( B / 3)  P( H / 3)  0
 (0.5 * B * H * G *  w ) B / 3  (0.5 * c * B * H *  w ) * B / 3  (0.5 *  w * H 2 ) * H / 3
H
 B (G  c)  H  B 
2 2

Gc
 If the uplift pressure intensity factor (c) is unity:
H
B
G 1 BY ALEBEL ABUHAY 3
 Elementary profile of Gravity Dam…
 Base width for no sliding: for no sliding on the dam base, the forces
resisting sliding should be greater than the force causing sliding.
 For an elementary profile, it is generally assumed that the sliding is
resisted by friction alone and in limiting case, the two forces are equal.
 Thus, µΣV= ΣH, substituting
 µ[(0.5*(B*H)*G*γw)- (0.5*B*(c* γw*H))]=0.5* γw*H2
H
 µ*B*H*(G-c)=H2 , µ*B*(G-c)=H B
 (G  c)
 If the uplift intensity factor is unity, then the equation becomes:
H
B
 (G  1)

BY ALEBEL ABUHAY 4
 Limiting Height of elementary gravity dam
 The principal stress at the toe of an elementary profile for the reservoir
full condition is given by: σd = γw*H*(G-c+1)
 The value of the principal stress should not exceed to the allowable stress
(fa) for the material of the dam. For limiting case, σd = fa .
 fa = γw*H*(G-c+1) → Hcr=fa/[γw*(G-c+1)]
 If uplift pressure is not considered: Hcr=fa/[γw*(G+1)]
 If the dam height is lower or equal to the critical height of the dam, it is
called low gravity dam and if greater, it is high gravity dam.

BY ALEBEL ABUHAY 5
 Modification Elementary profile
 The elementary profile of the gravity dam is theoretical which can not be
adopted in practice because of the following reasons:
i. No top width: In an actual dam, some minimum top width must be
provided to resist the force due to accidental loading and impact of
floating debris.
 For low height dams, the top width (a) is equal to 0.14H or the
minimum required road way.
ii. No free board: the water may overtop the dam when the waves develop
in the reservoir and cause splashing over the dam.
 The free board also takes care of any small increase in the minimum
water level due to some unforeseen flood.
 Thus: Freeboard= wind setup (S) + 4/3 (hw)
iii. Only three forces are considered: In an actual dam, there are a number
of other forces such as silt, ice, wave, earthquake, weight of gates and live
load on the road.

BY ALEBEL ABUHAY 6
 Practical profile of a gravity dam
 When freeboard and top width are provided, the elementary section gets
modified.
 The u/s face is vertical up to a depth of [2a (G) ^0.5] measured below the
water level and then it is provided with a slope from a depth of [2a (G)
^0.5] to [3.1 a (G) ^0.5] so that the horizontal projection is equal to
[a/16].

BY ALEBEL ABUHAY 7
 Analysis of Gravity dam
 Gravity method of analysis: - The following procedure is commonly used:
 Determine all the forces acting per unit length of the dam.
 Find the algebraic sum of all horizontal and vertical components.
 Determine the moment of all the force components about toe (d/s edge).
 Determine : X = Σ M / Σ V
 Determine the eccentricity (e) of the resultant, e=0.5B-X
 Determine the vertical stress at the toe and heel of the dam
 Calculate the principal stress and check whether it is within the safe limits
and also the stresses.
 Determine the factor of safety against sliding.
 Determine the factor of safety against overturning.
 Determine the tensile stresses if the eccentricity is greater than B/6, and
check whether they are within the limits

BY ALEBEL ABUHAY 8
 Designing of High dam-Strip method
 If the height of the dam is less than or equal to the critical dam height,
then it is designed by considering the whole section of the dam.
 If the height of the dam is greater than to the critical dam height, then the
upper portion up to which the critical height can be designed as one
section as low gravity dam and the remaining height can be divided in to a
number of suitable strips and the stability of each section is considered.

BY ALEBEL ABUHAY 9
 Designing of High dam…
 Design of strip-I: The total base width required at the bottom of the first
strip is given by:  w .H13   w2 .H14 
B1 1  
fa  4.W12 
 B0= base width of low dam (base width at top of 1st strip)
 B1= base width required at the bottom of the 1st strip
 H1= height of dam portion from MWL to the bottom of strip-I
 γw= unit weight of water
 fa= allowable compressive stress of the dam material
 W1= total vertical weight of dam and water above the top of strip-I
 The increase of base width required on the u/s side, at the bottom of
Strip-I (X1) is given by:
 w .Sc . y1  w.X1
3.B
2
0 
 B12  6. X 1.( B0  B1 )  2.B0 .B1 
 B  B0
( H 0  H1 ) * (2.B1  3. X 1 )  W0  1

 X1   0
24 12  3 

 The increase in width on the d/s side can be determined as (B1-B0-X1).

BY ALEBEL ABUHAY 10
 Construction of Joints
 As a gravity dam is a huge structure, it is essential to provide suitable
joints at appropriate places.
 Depending up on the location and the purpose served, the joints are
classified as:
 Construction joints: are provided for ease in construction of the dam.
 It is usual practice to place the concrete in the dam in lifts so as to
avoid excessive heat of hydration of cement.
 Contraction joints: are provided to relief the thermal stresses in the
concrete and to prevent the development of horizontal and vertical cracks
in the body of the dam.
 It can be provided in to traversal (vertical) and longitudinal joints.
 Traverse joints are provided normal to the axis of the dam and are
vertical, extended from the foundation to the top of the dam.
 Longitudinal joints are provided parallel to the axis of the dam to
prevent vertical cracks.

BY ALEBEL ABUHAY 11
 Construction of galleries
 Galleries are horizontal or sloping openings left in the body of the dam.
 It is a small passage in a dam for providing an access to the interior of the
dam, and is rectangular in shape with flat or semi-circular at the top.
 It should be sufficiently large to serve the required purpose.
 Galleries may serve to one or more of the following purposes:
 as drainage gallery, to permit drainage water percolating from the
upstream of the dam in to the body of the dam or its foundations;
 Access to the interior of the dam for inspection and maintenance;
 To provide space for installing various instruments in the dam to study
its structural behavior;
 To provide space for electrical and mechanical equipment for the
operation of gates for outlet conduits, penstocks or spillways;
 To provide space through the dam for control and power cables;
 To provide space for the visitors.

BY ALEBEL ABUHAY 12
 Temperature control in dams
 When cement concrete sets, a large amount of heat is librated and this
heat raises the temperature within the body of the dam, whereas the
outside temperature remains atmospheric.
 This results in the development of the temperature stress in the dam.
 When the concrete cools down, it shrinks and the shrinkage stresses are
developed which may lead to cracks.
 The following measures are usually adopted to control the temperature in
the dam:
 Pre-cooling: the ingredients are cooled before mixing with water and
even cold water also used for mixing.
 Post-cooling: the concrete mixture will be cooled after it has been
placed in position.
 It is usually done by circulating cold water through pipes already
embedded in the concrete.

BY ALEBEL ABUHAY 13