Embankment Dam

Bit: Bahir Dar Institute of Technology

Bahir Dar University

Faculty of Civil and Water Resources Engineering

MSc in Hydraulic Engineering Program
Design and Analysis of Embankment Dam

By

 Belay Mekonen Id/No BDU1500619

Submitted to Mekete D. (PhD)

June 2/2023
Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
 Embankment Dam

Contents
1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 3

1.1 Embankment Dams ............................................................................................................................ 5

1.2 Foundation ......................................................................................................................................... 5

1.3 Height of the Dam.............................................................................................................................. 6

1.3.1 Free Board................................................................................................................................... 6

1.4 Crest Design ....................................................................................................................................... 8

1.4.1 Crest width (W)........................................................................................................................... 8

1.4.2 Surface drainage.......................................................................................................................... 9

1.4.3 Surfacing ..................................................................................................................................... 9

1.5 Embankment Sloping and Zoning ..................................................................................................... 9

1.5.1 Sloping ........................................................................................................................................ 9

1.5.2 Zoning of Embankment ............................................................................................................ 10

1.6 Design of filter ................................................................................................................................. 10

1.6.1 Rock Tie .................................................................................................................................... 20

1.7 Slope Protection ............................................................................................................................... 20

1.7.1 U/S Slope .................................................................................................................................. 20

1.7.2 D/S Slope.................................................................................................................. 21

Summary of Dam Design ....................................................................................................................... 22

2 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................... 24
 Embankment Dam
Figure1.1 Gradation curve of base soil before regarding ......................................................................... 11

Figure1.2 Regarded Gradation curve of base soil .................................................................................... 12

Figure 1.3 Compression of gradation curves............................................................................................ 12

Figure 1.4 Filter Band ............................................................................................................................. 18

Figure 1.5 General Dam Profile .............................................................................................................. 20

 Embankment Dam

Table1.1 free board requirement................................................................................................................. 5

Table1.2 Tentative slopes of shoulder for different embankment materials ................................................ 8
Table1.3 sieve number and its opening ................................................................................................... 10
Table1.4 Regarding Base soil ................................................................................................................. 11
Table 1.5 Regarded gradation curve data ................................................................................................ 13
Table 1.6 filtering criteria maximum D 15 ................................................................................................13
Table 1.7 permeability criteria ................................................................................................................ 14
Table 1.8 other filter design criteria’s ..................................................................................................... 14
Table 1.9 maximum and minimum particle size criteria .......................................................................... 16
Table 1.10 Segregation criteria ............................................................................................................... 16
Table 1.11 criteria for filters used adjacent to collector pipe .................................................................... 17

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 Embankment Dam

Design a suitable section of an embankment dam for the following conditions. Also
draw cross section of the dam (Illustrate every component of the dam section and the
foundation you designed).
1. Hydrology
 River bed level 103.0 m
 Dead storage level 123.0 m
 F.S.L. 125.0 m
 H.F.L. 128.0 m
 F = Fetch length at maximum reservoir level (km) = 0.8 km as measured from the topomap
 Size of command area to be irrigated is 1000 ha with a duty of 2l/s/ha.
 The river across where the dam is to be constructed has sufficient yearly flows for the demand.
2. Geology and geotechnical conditions

The foundation consists of sand mixed with gravel to a depth of 12m, which is accompanied
by a sound rock formation after this depth.
3. Construction material

Two types of materials have been identified at sufficient quantities at a distance of 1.5 km
from the dam site: Sand mixed with gravel and Silty clay.
Grain size analysis of samples collected from the Silty clay borrow area are given below.
Sieve No. Percent Passing

4 95
10 90
20 85
40 75
60 60
140 45
200 30

4. Other data and assumptions.

Data not given can be assumed appropriately, and when necessary sources of information
have to be cited.
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INTRODUCTION
1.1 Embankment Dams
Depending on the environment, embankment dams can be designed with a wide range
of cross sections and materials. They must be the best possible products made from local
materials and they must complement their surroundings (Jansen, 1988).

The oldest types of embankments are earthen dams and levees because they can be made
from natural materials with little preparation and simple tools. However, the cost of
transportation and dumping the materials for the dam was quite high in the past.
However, the cost of transporting and laying the materials for the dam has significantly
decreased thanks to recent advancements in earth moving equipment. The cost of
gravity dams on the other hand, has gone up because of an increase in the cost of
concrete, masonry, etc. Earthen dams are still cheaper as they can utilize the locally
available materials, and less skilled labor is required for them (Garg, (2005).),Until
modern times, embankment dams were designed based on experience and precedence
(empirical means). However, the engineering literature is replete with accounts of
failures of embankment dams. These failures produced the realization that totally
empirical means must be replaced, or at least supplemented, by analytical engineering
procedures in both design and construction. (USBR, 2012.).

1.2 Foundation
 There are two key requirements for an earth fill dam foundation: (1) it must should
provide stable support for the embankment under all saturation and loading
conditions, and (2) it must give enough seepage resistance to prevent internal erosion
or excessive water loss. Although the foundation isn't actually designed, certain
foundation-related provisions are included in designs to guarantee that the
fundamental requirements will be satisfied (USBR, 2012). A small to medium earth
dam and rock fill dams can be supported by the foundation, which is made of sand

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and gravel. Depth of sand and gravel foundation (12m) is less than height of the dam
and it is also less than 50feet it is exposed shallow foundation (USBR, 2012.) Therefore,
provide positive complete cutoff up to impervious foundation(Garg, 1976).
 Use silty clay material for core and positive cutoff.
 The cut off shall be located such that its center line should be within the base of
impervious core. The positive cut off should be keyed at least to a depth of 0.4 meter
into continuous impervious sub stratum or in erodible rock formation and a minimum
bottom width of 4.0 meter is recommended. Side slopes of at least 1:1 or flatter may
be provided in case of over burden while 1/2:1 and 1/4:1 may be provided in soft rock
and hard rock respectively. For this specific dam for safety purpose 4m bottom width

with slope of 1/2:1 is taken. therefore, top width of cut off is 4m + 48m =52m
 Cut off height should extend at least 1m above water level of the dam. therefore, its
height will be 31m.
 The positive cut off should be taken at least one meter in to continue impervious
substratum (DAMS, 1979).

1.3 Height of the Dam

The term "height of dam" defined as the difference the between the elevation of the dam
crest and the lower of the natural stream or watercourse bed or the lowest point on the
dam (is any lower)(Gisonni, 2008).
Height of dam excluding free board (will be determined later) is the difference between
maximum flood level and river bed level. (103-128) =25m Additional height to
accommodate dead load is 128-123=5m

1.3.1 Free Board

The vertical distance from the water's surface to the lowest elevation at which water
would cross a dam at a section not intended to overflow is known as the free board of a
dam. The freeboard of a dam is the vertical distance, without camber, between the top
of the dam and a specified reservoir's water surface elevation. According to design
specifications, normal freeboard is the elevation difference between the top of the dam
without camber and the higher of the top of conservation storage or top of joint-use
storage. The freeboard of a dam is the vertical distance, without camber, between the
top of the dam and a specified reservoir's water surface elevation. According to design
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specifications, normal freeboard is the elevation difference between the top of the dam
without camber and the higher of the top of conservation storage or top of joint-use
storage.

Figure 1 , freeboard of dam

Here additional parameters like wind speed in the area is not available simply
recommended free board for the dam is taken from the following table.
Table1.1 free board requirement

Given that the fetch length is 0.8 km, the normal free board can be calculated as 1.2 m,
while the free board for MWL is 0.9 m. free board F=2.1m,
finally, free board F=2.1m
Now total height of dam is

H = 25 + 5 + 2.1 = 32m

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1.4 Crest Design

1.4.1 Crest width (W)

When the reservoir is full, the top width of large earthen dams should be adequate to
keep the seepage line inside the dam. Additionally, it should be strong enough to
resist wave action and earthquake shocks. (Garg, (2005).) This top width is typically
determined by minimum requirements for roadway width for small dams.
In accordance with accepted guidelines, the top width of an earthen or rock-fill dam has little
bearing on stability and is determined by the functional needs of the top of the dam. Minimum top
width requirements range from 25 to 40 feet, depending on the height of the dam. Road and
shoulder widths should be consistent with local highway requirements, taking future needs into
account (Engineers, 2004). This is especially important where the top of the dam will support a
public highway. Inventors, 2004 There are times when the zoning of the embankment near the top
is condensed to lessen the number of zones, each of which needs a minimum width to
accommodate hauling and compaction equipment.
The minimum allowable seepage distance through the embankment at normal reservoir water
level, the properties of the embankment materials, the requirements for roads, the practicality of
construction, the designs for dams in high seismic areas, any anticipated future crest raises, and
potential security-related vulnerabilities are just a few of the factors that affect an earth fill dam's
crest width. At the level of the maximum reservoir, a minimum crest width should offer a
reasonably low seepage gradient through the embankment. In areas with high seismic activity, a
wider crest offers more protection from a dam breach during an earthquake of significant size. In
general, security-related vulnerabilities will decline as crest width increases.
 According to Bureau of reclamation

W= Where Wand H is in feet

W=
 Japanese code
= 3.6 1/3 − 3
= 3.6 × 9.751/3 − 3 = 4.68
= 1.1

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 Lewis Empirical formula

Feet = 1

 H for h<30m (USBR 2001)

= 1.65 × ( + 1.5)1/3 For H>30m

= 1.65 × (32 + 1.5)1/3 =5.3m

A minimum crest width should provide a reasonably low seepage gradient through the
embankment at the level of the maximum reservoir.
Generally speaking, a wider crest will lead to reduced security-related vulnerabilities.
No dam should have a crest width less than 6 m; as a result, 6 m is assumed for all dams.

1.4.2 Surface drainage

The crest should have a 2-percent slope to the edges of the crown or should be sloped at
a 2-percent slope to drain towards the upstream slope to provide surface drainage.
1.4.3 Surfacing
Provide 4 inches of gravel to protect the surface of the crest from damage from traffic,
rain, or other factors.
1.5 Embankment Sloping and Zoning

1.5.1 Sloping
The slope of embankment dam, it depends on the following items
 Material type
 Dam height
 Previous experiences
 Foundation condition
Table1.2 Tentative slopes of shoulder for different embankment materials

Source: HYDRAULLIC STRUCTURES I manual, AAU

Use slope of 2.5H: 1V and 2H: 1V at upstream downstream respectively.

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1.5.2 Zoning of Embankment

The estimated quantities of necessary excavation and borrowing materials are used to
create zoning plans. Depending on the variation in the engineering properties of the
construction materials available, the zoning plan may divide the dam into two, three,
or more zones.

Figure 2 zone embankment dam

The earth embankment will most likely be built with a core made of relatively
impervious material surrounded by coarser shells in current practice. Zoning is a crucial
precaution against failure.
In the given site we have basically two types of material. Here it is better to zone part
in to two zones.
 Use Sand mixed with gravel which is available near the site and excavated from
foundation for shell at U/S and D/S side and Sand mixed with clay as core of the
dam.
 Pervious or impervious foundation with positive cut off -provide minimum core a
(top width 10ft=4m.
Core may be located centrally or inclined upstream. Inclined core reduces pore water
pressure at downstream and by it increases safety.
 Slope of core can be now estimated from height of crest and bottom width and top
width of crest. Bottom width of core is equal to top width of positive cut off which
is equal to 52m.Slope is therefore approximately 1:2.5
 Width of U/S Shell and D/S is 57m and 41m respectively

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1.6 Design of filter

For hundreds of years, filters and drains have been used to regulate and direct the flow of
seepage water through dams. Filters are used to stop soil particles from moving within
or between different zones and the foundations of embankment dams. If such movement
is not controlled, concentrated leaks could form and cause serious problems, including
the failure of an embankment dam (Markw. Pabst, 2011).
Filters in embankment dams and their foundations are required to perform two basic
functions:
 Prevent erosion of soil particles from the soil they are protecting
 Allow drainage of seepage water
Grain size analysis of samples collected from the Silty clay borrow area are given below.

Sieve No. Percent Passing

4 95

10 90

20 85

40 75

60 60

140 45
200 30

Solution

USBR (1987) method of Filter Design

Step 1: draw the gradation curve of the base soil, by using the given sieve size and
percentage finer.

Table1.3 sieve number and its opening

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Sieve Number Sieve Percentage finer

Size(mm) (%)
4 4.75 95
10 2 90
20 0.85 85
40 0.425 75
60 0.25 60
140 0.105 45
200 0.075 30

Figure1.1 Gradation curve of base soil before regarding

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Step-2: check if base soil contains no gravel (>No 4-sieve size or 0.075mm)

The base soil contains gravel since percentage of fineness at sieve number 4 (large
sediment size) is not 100 % (95%).
Table1.4 Regarding Base soil
Sieve No Sieve Size(mm) Percentage finer Percentage finer (Regraded)

4 4.75 95
95/95*100=100.000
10 2 90 90/95*100=94.737

20 0.85 85 85/95*100=89.474

40 0.425 75 75/95*100=78.947

60 0.25 60 60/95*100=63.158

140 0.105 45 45/95*100=47.368

200 0.075 30 30/95*100=31.579

Step 3: prepare adjusted gradation curves for base soils that have particles larger than the No 4
sieve

Figure1.2 Regarded Gradation curve of base soil

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Figure 1.3 Compression of gradation curves

Step-4: place the base soil in the category determined by the percentage passing the
No-200 (0.075mm) sieve from the re-graded gradation curve data according to
(Table5)

Table 1.5 Regarded gradation curve data

Since the percentage passing the No- 200 (0.075mm) sieve from the re-graded
gradation curve is 30 (from table) which is between 15-39 it is under base soil category
of 3.

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Step-5: Determine the max allowable D15 for the filter according to Table 6 and
label it as tentative control point 1
Table 1.6 filtering criteria maximum D15

Soil is base category of 3 maximum D15 is estimated as

A=31.579%

mm = 1. 16mm
Step-6: Determine the minimum allowable D15 in accordance with (Table-7) and label it
Table 1.7 permeability criteria

 Since we don’t have significant D15 passing (as shown in gradation curve of
base soil), take the minimum possible value=0.1mm from the table above.
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Step 7 : Preventing the use of gap graded filter materials by narrowing the width of the
allowable filter design band by determining the ratio of max.D15 to min D15 sizes by using
table 8 i.e. ( max.D15/min.D15 less than or equal to 5 )

Table 1.8 other filter design criteria’s

In this case > 5 (max D15 and min D15 are determined in steps 5 and 6
respectively), therefore it need adjustment. Since the main purpose of the filter is to
serve as a filter material the minimum D15 is kept controlled. But some modification
should be taken for the maximum D15 value.

(This is final control point 1 instead of determined in step 5)

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 Embankment Dam
Step 8: to prevent gap-graded filters both sides of the design filter band will have a coefficient of
uniformity (CU), defined as:

CU=

First calculate a max. D10 by using

 Second calculate A Max. Allowable D60 by using

 Determine the min. allowable D60 size by using

This is control point 4

Step 9: Determine the Min D5 & Max. D100 sizes of the filter according to table 9 and label it as
control 5 and 6 respectively.
Table 1.9 maximum and minimum particle size criteria

 Minimum D5=0.075 (control point 5)

 Maximum D100=75 (control point 6)

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Step 10: Determine Max. D90 & Min. D10 to minimize segregation during
construction.
Calculate a preliminary minimum D10 size by dividing minimum D15 size by1.2
Determine maximum D90 using table 10 and label it as control point 7

Table 1.10 Segregation criteria

Table 1.11 criteria for filters used adjacent to collector pipe

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Step 11: connect control points4,2&5 to form a partial design for the fine side of the filter band.
Connect control point 6,7,3 & 1for the coarse side of the filter band.

Figure 1.4 Filter Band

1.6.1 Rock Tie

The height to which rock toe is begun is taken to be =0.25H=0.25*32=8m, above the
river bed level. For preliminary dam section, it is providing rock toe of 15m width and
have 1:1 d/s side slope.

1.7 Slope Protection

1.7.1 U/S Slope

Protection is required against destructive waves splashing onto the side slope. Waves
generated due to high sustained winds as well as from earthquake action. U/s slopes are
provided protection by: rock riprap, concrete pavement, steel facing, bituminous
concrete pavement, pre-cast concrete blocks, others as short cement pavement, wood,
sacked concrete (Engineers, 2004).

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Figure 3,riprap of the upstream slope of the dam

Experience has shown that, in the majority of cases, properly graded and placed riprap
with adequate durability properties furnishes the best type of upstream slope protection
at the lowest cost (USBR, 2012).
 The thickness of riprap should be sufficient to accommodate weight and size of
stones necessary to resist wave action.
 A 3feet, which is about 1m, minimum thickness is used.

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1.7.2 D/S Slope

Downstream slopes of homogeneous dams or dams with outer sand and gravel zones
should be protected against erosion caused by wind and surface runoff using a layer
of rock, cobbles, or sod (USBR, 2012).

These need to be protected against erosion by wind and rainfall runoff and the
burrowing animals. This also needs to be protected against possibility of seeping of
rain water and forming internal erosion (piping and sloughing of inside of
embankment).
NB. Sizing and layer thickness of rip rap is not done here due to in availability of wind
speed which is useful to compute wave height.
D/s slopes are provided protection by covering the surface with a layer of rock fill or
by establishing grass cover. Provide berms to limit the vertical distance over which
runoff can concentrate.
If grasses or other vegetation are planted, those suitable for a given locality should be
selected, and a layer of topsoil is usually required.
 In this dam establishing grass cover is sufficient

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SUMMARY OF DAM DESIGN

 Type of Embankment Dam: Earth fill zoned
 Height of Dam=32m
 Free board=2.1m
 Top width of the dam=6m
 Base width of the dam=156m
 U/S slope=1:2.5
 D/S slope=1:2
 Width of shell=57 and 41 at u/s and d/s respectively.
 Core height=31m
 Core slope=1:1.5
 Core base width=52m
 Cut off top width=52m
 Cut off trench depth=13m (1m deep in to Impervious zone)
 Cut off slope=1/2:1
 Fine Filter thickness =1.5m coarse filter thickness=1.5m
 Upstream slope protection: Riprap
 Downstream slope protection: Grass cover

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Figure 1.5 General Dam Profile

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2 REFERENCES
DAMS, G. L. (1979). Guide Lines for Design of Large Earth And Rock Fill
Dams. New Delhi:.

Engineers, U. A. ( (2004).). Engineers, U. A. (2004). General Design And

Construction Considerations For Earth And Rock-Fill Dams. Washington, .

Garg, S. K. ((2005).). Irrigation Engineering And Hydraulic Structures. Delhi:

Khanna Publisher. .

Jansen, R. B. ((1988). ). Advanced Dam Engine•Ering For Design,

Construction, And Rehabilitation. Newyork: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

Markw. Pabst, P. (2011). Filters For Embankment Dams.

USBR. (1981.). Freeboard Criteria And Guidelines For Computing Freeboard

Allowances For Storage Dams. Colorado.

USBR. (2012.). Design Standards Of Embankment Dams. Washington: U.S.

Department Of The Interiorbureau Of Reclamation.

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