Water Resources Engineering II

Dams
Dams
• A dam is a structure constructed across a river to store water on its
up-stream side.

• It is an impervious barrier put across a natural stream so that a

reservoir is formed
Selection of site for a dam
• Foundation
• Topography
• Site for Spillway
• Materials
• Reservoir and Catchment Area
• Communication
Classification of Dam
• Classification according to use
1. Storage dam
2. Diversion dam
3. Detention dam
• Classification hydraulic design
1. Non-overflow dam
2. Overflow dam

• Classification according to
material
1. Rigid dam 1. Gravity dam. 2. Arched dam. 3. Concrete buttress dam
2. Non-rigid dams 1. Earth dam. 2. Rockfill dam. 3. Combined earth and rockfill dam
Classification of Dam
• Classification according to
material
1. Rigid dam 1. Gravity dam. 2. Arched dam. 3. Concrete buttress dam
2. Non-rigid dams 1. Earth dam. 2. Rockfill dam. 3. Combined earth and rockfill dam

Gravity
Arch
EarthenDam
Buttress
Rockfill Dam
Dam
Dam
Dam
Gravity Dams
 Forces acting on a gravity dam
1. Water Pressure

Upstream force

Downstream force
 Forces acting on a gravity dam

1. Water Pressure
2. Weight of dam gates

The cross-section of the dam may be divided into several triangles and rectangles, and the weights W1, W2, W3,
etc. of each of these may be computed conveniently, along with determination of their lines of action
 Forces acting on a gravity dam

1. Water Pressure
2. Weight of dam gates
3. Uplift pressure

U.S.B.R. Recommendations
uplift pressure intensities equal to the hydrostatic pressure of
water at the toe and heel joined by a straight line in between
The magnitude of the uplift pressure recommended at the face of the
gallery is equal to the hydrostatic pressure at the toe plus 1/3rd the
difference of the hydrostatic pressure at the heel and toe
Forces acting on a gravity dam

1. Water Pressure
2. Weight of dam gates
3. Uplift pressure
4. Pressure due to earthquake
Forces acting on a gravity dam
1. Water Pressure
2. Weight of dam gates
3. Uplift pressure
4. Pressure due to earthquake

• Wave produce acceleration in horizontal (αh) and vertical direction (αv)

• Values of these acceleration generally expressed as a percentage of acceleration
due to gravity (g) i. e. α = 0.1g, 0.3g
• On an average α equal to 0.1 – 0.15 g is sufficient for the high dam in seismic zones
Seismic zones in India

IS 1893-2002
 Forces acting on a gravity dam
4. Pressure due to earthquake
Effect of Horizontal Earthquake Acceleration
Horizontal acceleration due to earthquake causes two effects:
1. Inertia force in the body of the dam
2. Hydrodynamic pressure of water (Pe)
Inertia force in the body of the dam
• The inertia force is the product of mass and acceleration
Horizontal earthquake acceleration = αh g

Mass of dam = Weight of dam (W)/g

Act in the direction opposite to the wave Kh – Fraction of gravity adopted for i. e. 0.1, 0.2
 Forces acting on a gravity dam
4. Pressure due to earthquake
Hydrodynamic force in the body of the dam (Pe)
• The horizontal acceleration of the dam and foundation towards the reservoir causes a momentary increase
in water pressure
• This additional water pressure, over and above the static water pressure, is known as hydrodynamic
pressure
Von Karman’s method Zanger’s method

Pe = 0.555 Kh γw H2 Acts at a height of 4H/3π above the base of the dam

γ w - Unit weight of water

H - Depth of water in the reservoir
Forces acting on a gravity dam
4. Pressure due to earthquake
Hydrodynamic force in the body of the dam (Pe)

Zanger’s method

Momentum of dynamic force

Acts at a height of 4H/3π above the base of the dam

Forces acting on a gravity dam
1. Water Pressure
2. Weight of dam gates
3. Uplift pressure
4. Pressure due to earthquake
Earthquake Wave produce acceleration in horizontal (αh) and vertical direction (αv)

Effect of Vertical Earthquake Acceleration

May act vertically upward or downward direction

the effect of vertical earthquake acceleration is to change the unit weight of water and the dam material

Net effective weight of dam

Upward acceleration Increase effective weight of dam

Downward acceleration Decrease effective weight of dam

Forces acting on a gravity dam
1. Water Pressure
2. Weight of dam gates
3. Uplift pressure
4. Pressure due to earthquake
5. Earth and silt pressure

= Submerged unit weight of sediment

h = Height of sediment
1− 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜙
Ka = Coefficient of active earth pressure ¿
1+ 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜙

𝜙 = Internal friction angle

Forces acting on a gravity dam
1. Water Pressure
2. Weight of dam gates
3. Uplift pressure
4. Pressure due to earthquake
5. Earth and silt pressure
6. Wave pressure (Pw)

hw = height of waves in meters, between trough and crest

 Forces acting on a gravity dam

6. Wave pressure (Pw)

Max

For design purpose, the pressure distribution may be assumed to be represented by a triangle of height equal to

The total pressure Pw is given by

 Forces acting on a gravity dam

6. Wave pressure (Pw)

The total pressure Pw is given by

Forces acting on a gravity dam
1. Water Pressure
2. Weight of dam gates
3. Uplift pressure
4. Pressure due to earthquake
5. Earth and silt pressure
6. Wave pressure (Pw)
7. Ice pressure (Pice)
IS 6512-1984 recommends that till specific reliable procedures become available for the assessment of ice
pressure, it may be provided for at the rate of 250 kN/m2 applied to the face of the dam over the anticipated area
of contact of ice with the face of the dam
 Combination of loading for design
Design of gravity dam should be checked for two cases (U.S.B.R. Recommendations)

Reservoir full condition Reservoir Empty condition

• Normal Load Combination (i) Earthquake force for determining Bending

(i) Normal water surface elevation, ice pressure, movement
silt pressure and normal uplift (ii) Horizontal earthquake developed on the
(ii) Normal water surface elevation, earthquake upstream side to check the tension at toe
force, silt pressure and normal uplift
(iii) Maximum water surface elevation, silt
pressure and normal uplift

• Extreme Load Combination

Maximum flood water elevation, silt pressure and extreme
uplift with no drain in operation to release the uplift
Combination of loading for design
Modes of failure : stability requirements

(i) Overturning

(ii)Sliding

(iii)Compression (or) Crushing

(iv)Tension
Modes of failure : stability requirements

(i) Overturning

Hydrostatic

Uplift

Weight
D/s Hydrostatic Pressure
 Modes of failure : stability requirements
(i) Overturning
(ii)Sliding
To avoid sliding

The factor of safety against overturning should not be less than 1.5
It is considered that a low gravity dam should be safe against sliding considering friction
alone. However, in large dams, shear strength of the joint should also be considered for
an economical design. The factor of safety in that case is commonly known as the shear
friction factor S.F.F. and is defined by the equation

c = average cohesion or shear strength of the joint

b = Width of the dam
SFF < 3
Modes of failure : stability requirements

(i) Overturning

(ii)Sliding

(iii)Compression (or) Crushing

Modes of failure : stability requirements

Compression (or) Crushing

total normal stress p is given by

n
Modes of failure : stability requirements

Compression (or) Crushing

Modes of failure : stability requirements

Compression (or) Crushing

pmax

f- allowable compressive stress

Modes of failure : stability requirements

(i) Overturning

(ii)Sliding (pn)heel < 0 (tension at heel)

(iii)Compression (or) Crushing

No tension should be permitted at any point of the dam
(iv)Tension under any circumstance for moderately high dams

𝑏
𝑒≤
6
Modes of failure : stability requirements
Tension
Principal and shear stresses
Principal stresses are the maximum or minimum normal stress which may be developed on
a loaded body

Hydrostatic force
Principal and shear stresses
Principal stresses are the maximum or minimum normal stress which may be developed on
a loaded body

𝜎 1 dr ds Pds

dr
Principal Stresses
Principal stresses are the maximum or minimum normal stress which may be developed on
a loaded body

𝜎 1 dr ds Pds

dr
 Principal and shear stresses
𝜎 1 dr ds Pds

dr
when there is no tailwater, and hence p will be zero. In
that circumstance, the principal stress is given by

If pe′ is the intensity of hydrodynamic pressure of tailwater due to an earthquake the

principal stress at the downstream is given by

Heel Toe
 Shear stresses
𝜎 1 dr ds Pds
Resolving all the forces in the horizontal direction, we get

dr
Stability Analysis Of Dam
1. Gravity method or two-dimensional
method:
(a) Graphical method.
(b) Analytical method.
2. Trial load twist method.
3. Slab analogy method.
4. Lattice analogy method.
5. Experimental methods:
(a) Direct method.
(b) Indirect method
Analytical method for Stability Analysis Of Dam
• Consider unit length of the dam. Calculate all the vertical loads acting. They include the weight of
the dam, weight of water acting on the inclined faces, uplift pressure and inertia forces due to
vertical acceleration. Find their algebraic sum ()

• Find out the sum of horizontal forces (), and the horizontal pressure due to hydrodynamic pressure

• Find out the sum of the overturning moments () and the sum of righting moments () at the toe.
Also, find the algebraic sum of all the moments as under
• =-

• Find out the location (i.e. distance ) of the resultant force R from toe, by relation

∑𝑀
𝑥=
• Find out the eccentricity e of the resultant
∑𝑉 R, from the centre by the relation
Analytical method for Stability Analysis Of Dam
• Find the normal stress at the toe and heel of dam

• Find out the principal and shear stresses at the toe and the heel

• Find out the factor of safety against overturning by the expression

The factor of safety against overturning should not be less than 1.5
 Analytical method for Stability Analysis Of Dam
Find out the factor of safety against sliding by the following expressions

The factor of safety against overturning should not be less than 1.5

c = average cohesion or shear strength of the joint

b = Width of the dam

SFF < 3
• (1) Reservoir Full case
• (2) Reservoir Empty case
Reservoir Empty case
Reservoir Full case
Worst Conditions

With uplift Without uplift

1. Horizontal earthquake moving toward U/S as it causes inertia force on downstream

2. Vertical earthquake moving downward will cause upward force

Various forces acting are
Various forces acting are

1 2
𝑃= 𝛾 𝑤 𝐻
2
Various forces acting are

Acts at a height of 4H/3π above the base of the dam

Uplift force
Consider average cohesion or shear strength of the joint as 1400 kN/m2 and
calculate shear friction factor (S.F.F.)
?
Elementary Profile of a Gravity Dam
• In the absence of any force other than the forces due to water, an elementary
profile will be triangular in section, having zero width at the water level at the
top

• For reservoir empty condition, a right angled triangular profile will provide the
maximum possible stabilizing force against overturning, without causing tension
in the base.

• This is so because the weight of the dam acts at distance b/3 from the upstream
face and is closer to it. If any triangular profile, other than the right angled one,
is provided, its weight will act still closer to the upstream face to provide a
higher stabilizing force, but tension will be developed at the toe when the dam is
empty
Reservoir Full
EmptyCondition
Condition
 Base width of elementary profile
(1)Reservoir Full condition
(1)Stress criterion.
(2)Stability or sliding criterion

1 – No Tension to be developed on heel or Toe

2 – Dam should be stable in sliding
 Base width of elementary profile
(1)Reservoir Empty condition
 Base width of elementary profile
(1)Reservoir Full condition
(1)Stress criterion.

For the ‘reservoir full’ condition, for no tension to develop,

the resultant R must pass through the ‘outer third’ point
(M2)

Taking the moment of all forces about M2

 Base width of elementary profile
(1)Reservoir Full condition
(1)Stress criterion.
 Base width of elementary profile
(1)Reservoir Full condition
(1)Stress criterion.

C = Seepage Coefficient
 Base width of elementary profile
(1)Reservoir Full condition
(1)Stress criterion.
C = Seepage Coefficient
 Base width of elementary profile
(1)Reservoir Full condition
(1)Stress criterion.
 Base width of elementary profile
(1)Reservoir Full condition
(2) Stability or sliding criterion

Under Limiting Condition

 Base width of elementary profile
(1)Reservoir Full condition
Base width should be considered maximum of Stress criteria and sliding criteria

Maximum of

B (Stress Criteria) =

B (Sliding Criteria) =
Stresses developed in the elementary profile
Limiting Height Of A Gravity Dam : High And Low Gravity Dams

The maximum value of this principal stress should not exceed the allowable stress (f)
for the material

f=

For finding the limiting height H, it is usual not to consider the uplift

If H < Hmax Low gravity dam

If H > Hmax High Gravity dam
 Practical Profile of a Gravity Dam

The elementary profile is not possible in practice because of the provision of

(i) roadway at the top

(ii)additional loads due to the roadway, and
(iii) freeboard
Due to these provisions, the resultant force of the weight of
the dam and the water pressure falls outside the middle third
of the base of the dam when the reservoir is full

To eliminate tension, some masonry is to be provided to the

upstream side.

Freeboard.
Freeboard is the margin provided between the
top of dam and H.F.L. in the reservoir to prevent
the splashing of the waves over the non-
overflow section

• The freeboard usually provided is 3/4hw

Where hw is the height of waves