CE A 100 Mechanics of Fluids

for Civil Engineers

Lecture 4

Dams

Kristine D. Sanchez
CE A100 Instructor
Introduction
• Dams are built for the purpose of impounding water.
• This lecture considers the following:
• Neglecting hydrostatic uplift
• Considering hydrostatic uplift
• Overflowing dam without hydrostatic uplift and neglecting the effect of water
on the downstream side
• Overflowing dam considering hydrostatic uplift
• Dams with water on both upstream and downstream side
Analysis of gravity dam
• A dam is subjected to hydrostatic forces due to water which is raised
on its upstream side.
• These forces cause the dam to slide horizontally on its foundation and
overturn it about its downstream edge or toe.
• These tendencies are resisted by friction on the base of the dam and
gravitational forces which cause a moment opposite to the
overturning moment.
• The dam may also be prevented from sliding by keying its base.
Steps of solution
1. Consider 1-unit strip width.
2. Determine the forces acting:
2.1. Vertical forces
2.1.1 Weight of the dam
2.1.2 Weight of the water on the upstream sides (if any)
2.1.3 Weight of permanent structures on dam
2.1.4 Hydrostatic uplift
Steps of solution (cont’d.)
2.2. Horizontal force
2.2.1 Total hydrostatic force due to water on the upstream side
2.2.2 Wind pressure
2.2.3 Wave action
2.2.4 Floating bodies
2.2.5 Earthquake load
Steps of Solution (cont’d.)
3. Solve for the vertical reaction, 𝑅𝑦 and horizontal reaction, 𝑅𝑥 .
4. Solve for the righting moment, 𝑅𝑀, and overturning moment, 𝑂𝑀.
5. Solve for the location of 𝑅𝑦 , 𝑥.ҧ
Factor of Safety, location of 𝑅𝑦
• Location of 𝑅𝑦 , 𝑥:ҧ
𝑅𝑀 −𝑂𝑀
𝑥ҧ = (4.1)
𝑅𝑦

• Factor of safety against sliding, 𝐹𝑆𝑠 :

μ𝑅𝑦
𝐹𝑆𝑠 = >1 (4.2)
𝑅𝑥

• Factor of safety against overturning, 𝐹𝑆𝑜 :

𝑅𝑀 (4.3)
𝐹𝑆𝑜 = >1
𝑂𝑀
Case 1: Neglecting hydrostatic uplift
𝑥1
𝑥2 1𝑚

𝑾𝟏
ℎത
𝑾𝟐
h
𝑷

h/3
OM
TOE
𝑹𝒙
𝑥ҧ vertical projection
RM

𝑹𝒚
Case 2: Considering hydrostatic uplift
𝑥1
𝑥2

𝑾𝟏

𝑾𝟐
h
𝑷

ℎ/3
TOE
𝑹𝒙
𝛾𝑓𝑙 ℎ 𝑥ҧ
2𝐵/3

𝑼 𝑹𝒚
What is hydrostatic uplift?
• Because of the presence of the water on the upstream face which is
raised into a certain height, there is a tendency for the water to seep
under the dam and escape at the lower level on the downstream
side; since this seepage is under pressure, it exerts a hydrostatic uplift
on the dam which reduces the stability of the dam against sliding and
reduces also the stability against overturning.
Case 3: Overflowing dam without hydrostatic uplift and
neglecting the effect of water on the downstream side
𝑥1 = 𝑥2
𝑥3 1𝑚

𝑾𝟏
ℎത
𝑾𝟐
𝐷/2
ℎ
𝑾𝟑
𝑷 𝑒
𝐷
−𝑒 OM
2
toe
𝑥ҧ 𝑹𝒙
RM vertical projection

𝑹𝒚
Case 4: Overflowing dam with hydrostatic uplift

𝑥1 = 𝑥2
𝑥3 1𝑚

𝑾𝟏
ℎത
𝑾𝟐
𝐷/2
ℎ
𝑾𝟑
𝑷 𝑒
𝐷
−𝑒 OM
2
toe
𝑥ҧ 𝑹𝒙
𝛾𝑓𝑙 ℎ RM vertical projection
2𝐵/3

𝑼 𝑹𝒚
Case 5: Dams with both water on upstream and
downstream side
𝑥1
𝑥2

𝑾𝟏 𝑥3

𝑾𝟐 𝑾𝟑
ℎ1
𝑷𝟏

ℎ1 /3 𝑷𝟐 ℎ2
ℎ2 /3
toe
𝑥ҧ 𝑹𝒙

𝑹𝒚 𝐵/2
𝑼𝟏 𝑼𝟐 2𝐵/3
Pressure distribution at the base
• For 𝒆 ≤ 𝑩/𝟔
• From combined axial and bending stress formula:

𝑃 𝑀𝑐
𝑞=− ± (4.4)
𝐴 𝐼

• where: 𝐵/3 𝐵/3 𝐵/3

• 𝑃 = 𝑅𝑦 𝐵/6 𝐵/6 (4.5a – 4.5e)
ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑡𝑜𝑒
• 𝐴 = 1𝑚 𝑥 𝐵 = 𝐵
• 𝑀 = 𝑅𝑦 𝑒
1𝐵 3
• 𝐼= 𝑞𝐻 𝑒 𝑥ҧ 𝑞𝑇
12
𝐵
• 𝑐= 2
Soil pressure
diagram
𝑹𝒚
Pressure distribution at the base (cont’d.)
𝑅𝑦 (𝑅𝑦 𝑒)(𝐵/2)
𝑞=− ±
𝐵 𝐵3 /12

𝑅𝑦 6𝑅𝑦 𝑒
𝑞=− ±
𝐵 𝐵2

𝑅𝑦 6𝑒
𝑞=− 1± , where 𝑒 ≤ 𝐵/6
𝐵 𝐵
(4.6)

• Use (+) to get the stress at point where 𝑅𝑦 is nearest. In the soil pressure diagram, use
(+) to get 𝑞𝑇 and (-) to get 𝑞𝐻 . A negative stress indicates compressive stress, and a
positive stress indicates tensile stress.
Pressure distribution at the base (cont’d.)
• Since soil cannot carry any tensile stress, if Eq. (4.6) is positive, the result is
invalid. This happens when 𝑒 > 𝐵/6. In this case, use Eq. (4.8).
𝐵/2
• F𝐨𝐫 𝒆 > 𝑩/𝟔 𝑒
𝑎 (4.7a – 4.7b)
• 𝑥ҧ =
3
1
• 𝑅𝑦 = (𝑎) (𝑞𝑒 ) (1) 𝑎
= 𝑥ҧ
𝒒𝒆
2 3
1
• 𝑅𝑦 = (3𝑥)ҧ (𝑞𝑒 ) 𝑎
2
𝑹𝒚
2𝑅𝑦
𝑞𝑒 = (4.8)
3𝑥ҧ
Sample Problem
Thank you for listening.
• Sources:
• Besavilla, V. I., Jr. (1983). “Dams”, in Solutions to Problems in
Hydraulics (SI Version), Vol. 3, pp. 67-72, Cebu City.
• Gillesania, D. I. T. (2015). “Chapter 3: Total hydrostatic force on
surfaces (Analysis of Gravity Dams)” in Fluid Mechanics and
Hydraulics 4th ed., pp. 84-87, Cebu City.