Design and analysis of gravity dam

Assessed in relation to all probable conditions of loading, including reservoir empty conditions the
profile must have sufficient safety factor w.r.t:

a) Rotation & overturning.

b) Translation & sliding and
c) Overstress & material failure.

1- Over turning stability

To make the structure of the dam stable from rotational or overturning failure the
following governing criteria should be satisfied
F0 (factor of safety against over turning) should be greater than 1.5

Fo 
 M ve
> 1.5……………(safe against overturning)
M  ve
Overturning Check

1/md
H

B
Overturning Check

B
Overturning Check

B
Overturning Check

B
Overturning Check

B
Overturning Check

B
Sliding Check: It is a function of loading pattern and the
resistance to translational displacement

1/md
H

B
The shearing and frictional resistance of the joint must
be sufficient to with stand the tendency to slide.
I . Sliding safety factor for horizontal plane

 factor of safety against sliding=

Fss 
 H , for horizontal plane
V
 H  tan 
Fss 
V
, for foundations inclined at a small angle 
1  
 H 
 tan 
 V 
 

In order to be the dam stable against sliding Fss should

be less than or equal to 0.75
It is considered that a low gravity dam should be safe against sliding
considering friction alone.
 II) Shear friction factor (FSF) is defined as
Maximum Shear resistance

S
FSF 
H
Where
S – total resistance to shear and defined by

 C*B 
S    V tan(   ) kN / m
 cos  (1  tan  tan  )  
Recommended shear friction factor for safety is 3 to 5

For horizontal plane α=0 S=)+∑VtanфthenFsf=>3 to 5-- Safe

If horizon of clay exists C is considered as 0 hence FSS =

 If there is a passive wedge resistance @down stream the shear friction factor
modified with
Rw = cAAB + (Ww Cos∂ +∑HSin∂)tan

 Where, Pe = passive wedge resistance

AAB = the area of a plane AB
Rw = Sliding resistance on a plane AB

Ww = weight of the passive wedge

C = cohesion coefficient

 = is the angle of shearing resistance or of

sliding friction
 (ii) Limit Equilibrium Factor, FLE

f
FLE   = The shear stressed generated under the applied load
 f = Available shear strength

 n = Streets acting normal to plain of sliding

c   n tan 
FLE 


FLE = 2.0 for normal operation

FLE = 1.3 for seismic activity

3- Stress analysis (compression or crushing)
 Vertical Normal stress on horizontal plane
If the compressive stress introduced in the dam is greater than its allowable stress ,the
dam may fail.
Normal pool level

Pmax 
 V  6e 
1
Resultant B  B 
Reservoir full H
force
condition V

Pmin 
 V 1  6e 
B/2 B/2 B  B 

Where;
Pmin + compression Pmax e = Eccentricity of the resultant force
from the center of the base

+ compr.  V  Total vertical force

Pmin -
B= Base width
Tension
 Because of the gravity dam materials can not sustain tensile stresses, it should be
designed for certain amount or no tension should develops anywhere in the body of
the dam.

The maximum permissible tensile stress for high concrete gravity dams, under
worst loadings, may be taken as 500 KN/m2 (5kg/cm2).  V  6e 
Pmin  1 0
B  B 

NB! A tension crack by itself does not fail the structure, but it leads to failure of the
structure by producing excessive compressive stresses.

 In order to ensure that no tension is developed anywhere, the amount of P min should
at most equal to zero.
B
e
6
The maximum value_
x of eccentricity, that can be permitted on either side of the center is
equal to B/6 ------- “ the resultant must lie within the middle third”.
The resultant distance from the toe of the dam ( ) is given by

x
M
V
 2. Horizontal & vertical shear
stresses
Numerically equal & complementary horizontal (zy) & vertical (yz) shear
stresses are generated @ any point

u d
 Principal stress

1d= zd (1+ tan2d)-P’w tan 2d

P
 P’
B

c A
Pvmin
Pvmax

1u= zu (1+ tan2u)-Pw tan 2u

B P’   pv sec 2   p' tan 2 
d
s

For  to be maximum, p’ should be
d
r

zero.

c A
db
Pv