Stilling Basins

CIVE 401 – HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING

CREATED BY: CHAZ MYERS, DAVID NEUDER AND CODY OSER
Stilling Basin
Ove rvie w
● Stilling ba sins a re use d to dissipa te the
e ne rgy of wa te r e xiting the spillwa y of a
da m
● The ir purpose is to pre ve nt scouring tha t
occurs whe n high-ve locity wa te r e nte rs
the downstre a m re a ch of the da m
● This scouring ca n da ma ge the
founda tion of the da m, le a ding to
ove rtopping, a nd a lso ca use s se ve re
e rosion downstre a m
● The prima ry me thod of dissipa ting
e ne rgy is to ge ne ra te a hydra ulic jump to
tra nsition flow from supe rcritica l to
subcritica l
Stilling Basin
Ove rvie w
● Stilling ba sins a re pla ce d a t the e nds of
da m spillwa ys a nd a t the e nds of ste e p-
slope d ca na l se ctions whe re e le va tion
cha nge ha s ge ne ra te d high kine tic
e ne rgy
● Stilling come in a va rie ty of type s a nd
ca n e ithe r conta in a stra ight drop to a
lowe r e le va tion or a n incline d chute
● Incline d chute s a re the most common
de sign for stilling ba sins a nd the most
use d incline d chute s a re :
○ USBR Stilling Ba sins Type II-IV
○ SAF Stilling Ba sins
● The de signs a re se le cte d ba se d off of
the Froude Numbe r of the flow a nd the Downstream view of a hydraulic jump in a stilling basin
flow ve locity
Froude Number/Hydraulic jump
● The Froude Numbe r is the
ra tio of the fluid’s ve locity
to flow de pth, give n by:

● For ope n-cha nne l flow:

* Fr<1 is subcritica l
( low ve locity a nd high de pth)
* Fr>1 is supe rcritica l
(high ve locity a nd low de pth)
* Fr=1 ge ne ra te s a hydra ulic
jump, dissipa ting e ne rgy by:
The turbule nce ge ne ra te d by the hydra ulic jump ca use s
significa nt e ne rgy loss a nd the re duce d spe e d re duce s the
pote ntia l for scouring a nd e rosion
Stilling Basin Elements
● The diffe re nt type s of stilling ba sins
typica lly ha ve the following common
e le me nts:
● Chute blocks - concre te blocks built into
the incline d se ctions of the spillwa y.
The se fe a ture s a re commonly pla ce d a t
the he a d of the stilling ba sin to cre a te
turbule nce prior to the hydra ulic jump
● Ba ffle blocks - fre e sta nding concre te
blocks built in the ma in ba sin. The se
blocks a re only use d for flows <20m/s
due to the high force the y a re subje cte d
to a nd the pote ntia l for ca vita tion
● End sills - a built-up lip a t the ta il of the
ba sin, with or without blocks. The sill
he ight ha s the most significa nt impa ct
on e ne rgy dissipa tion a nd ta lle r sills a re
use d to re duce the ove ra ll le ngth of the
stilling ba sin Stilling ba sin dia gra m with chute blocks, ba ffle blocks
a nd e nd sill
Chute Blocks/Baffle Piers

● Ge ne ra te turbule nc e in the stilling ba sin in orde r to ca use

a hydra ulic jump
● Not use d for flows gre a te r tha n 20m/s
● Flows >20m/s typica lly ca use ca vita tion be hind the blocks,
da ma ging the stilling ba sin

The force on baffle blocks is:

F=2ɣA(d+hv)

F = force in lbs
ɣ = unit weight of water (lb/ft3)
(d+hv) = specific energy of flow entering basin (ft)
Straight Drop Stilling Basins
● In stra ight drop stilling ba sins,
wa te r flows ove r the spillwa y cre st
a nd fa lls onto a fla t a pron, ofte n
with blocks or othe r e ne rgy
dissipa ting fe a ture s
● Stra ight drop ba sins a re typica lly
use d for low-flow spillwa ys
be ca use high flows ca n ca use the
na ppe to subme rge , re ducing
e ne rgy dissipa tion a nd incre a sing
pote ntia l for scouring
● For inte rme dia te flows, longe r
ba sins a re re quire d, with ba ffle -
blocks a nd sills, in orde r to dissipa te
the e ne rgy furthe r
USBR Type II Stilling Basins

● De ve lope d by the U.S Bure a u of

Re cla ma tion

● Utilize s chute blocks a nd a

de nta te d e nd sill to dissipa te
e ne rgy

● Doe s not utilize ba ffle blocks

● Chute blocks lift flow a nd dissipa te

e ne rgy through e ddie s

http://c e s-le ge nda .c om/wp-conte nt/uploa ds/2013/07/CE-3205-W6.2-Stilling-Ba sin-

or-Ene rgy-Dissipa te rs.pdf
USBR Type II Stilling Basins
De sign Re c omme nda tions
● Froude numbe r of 4 to 14
● The he ight of the chute blocks should be e qua l to the de pth of the incoming flow
● The width of the chute blocks should be e qua l to the de pth of the incoming flow
● The spa cing be twe e n e a ch chute block should be e qua l to the he ight of the
incoming flow
● A spa cing e qua l to ha lf of the incoming flow he ight is re comme nde d be twe e n the
chute blocks a nd the outside wa lls
● The he ight of the de nta te d sill should be e qua l to 0.2 time s the de pth of incoming
flow de pth
● The ma ximum width a nd ma ximum spa cing of the de nta te d sill is 0.15 time s the
incoming flow de pth
● Le ngth of ba sin is de pe nde nt on Froude numbe r a nd incoming flow de pth

Re trie ve d from the Fe de ra l Highwa y Administra tion

USBR Type III Stilling Basins

● De ve lope d by the U.S Bure a u of

Re cla ma tion

● Utilize s chute blocks, ba ffle blocks,

a nd a n e nd sill to dissipa te e ne rgy

● Cre a te s a ste e p hydra ulic jump with

minima l wa ve a ction downstre a m

● The position of the ba ffle blocks a re

ke y in the succe ss of type II stilling
ba sins
http://c e s-le ge nda .c om/wp-conte nt/uploa ds/2013/07/CE-3205-W6.2-Stilling-Ba sin-
or-Ene rgy-Dissipa te rs.pdf
USBR Type III Stilling Basins
De sign Re c omme nda tions
● Froude numbe r of 4.5 to 17
● Ma ximum ve locity of 60 ft/s
● Ma ximum unit discha rge of 200 ft^3/s-ft
● The he ight, spa cing, a nd width of the chute blocks should be e qua l to the de pth of
incoming flow
● The he ight a nd spa cing of the ba ffle pie rs a re re la tive to the Froude numbe r a nd
de pth of incoming flow
● The dista nce from the ba ck of the chute blocks to the front of the ba ffle pie rs should
0.8 time s the the de pth of incoming flow
● The he ight of the e nd sill is de te rmine d by the Froude numbe r a nd the de pth of
incoming flow
● Le ngth of ba sin is de pe nde nt on Froude numbe r a nd incoming flow de pth
● The ta ilwa te r de pth must be e qua l to or gre a te r tha n full conjuga te de pth

Re trie ve d from the Fe de ra l Highwa y Administra tion

USBR Type IV Stilling Basins

● De ve lope d by the U.S Bure a u of

Re cla ma tion

● Utilize s chute blocks a nd a n optiona l

e nd sill to dissipa te e ne rgy

● Doe s not utilize ba ffle blocks

● Use d for ca se s with low Froude

numbe r

● Since flow is low the hydra ulic jump

ma y not fully de ve lop which could
re sult in downstre a m wa ve s http://c e s-le ge nda .c om/wp-conte nt/uploa ds/2013/07/CE-3205-W6.2-Stilling-Ba sin-
or-Ene rgy-Dissipa te rs.pdf
USBR Type IV Stilling Basins
De sign Re c omme nda tions
● Froude numbe r of 2.5 to 4
● The ma ximum width of the chute blocks is e qua l to the de pth of incoming flow
● The spa cing be twe e n the chute blocks is re comme nde d to be 0.75 time s the de pth
of the incoming flow
● The top of the chute blocks is loca te d a t he ight e qua l to twice the incoming flow
de pth a bove the ba sin floor
● The ta il wa te r de pth should be 110% of the full conjuga te de pth
● The he ight of the e nd sill is de te rmine d by the Froude numbe r a nd the de pth of
incoming flow
● Le ngth of ba sin is de pe nde nt on Froude numbe r a nd incoming flow de pth

Re trie ve d from the Fe de ra l Highwa y Administra tion

Saint Anthony Falls (SAF)
Stilling Ba sin
● De ve lope d by mode l studie s conducte d by the
Soil Conse rva tion Se rvice a t the St. Anthony
Fa lls Hydra ulic La bora tory of the Unive rsity of
Minne sota

● Utilize s chute blocks, a n e nd sill a nd e ithe r

ba ffle or floor blocks

● Ge ne ra l use d for sma lle r structure s, such a s

culve rts or ca na ls, to imple me nt a more cost http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/engineering/hydraulics/pubs/06086/hec14.pdf
e ffe ctive a pproa ch to e ne rgy dissipa tion

● Effe ctive for Froude numbe rs be twe e n 1.7 a nd

17
Failure Mechanisms

Stilling Ba sin Swe e pout

● Ta ilwa te r is insufficie nt a nd doe s not a llow hydra ulic jump to form a nd
sta bilize in the stilling ba sin which re sults in a ny or a ll of the se fa ilure s

1) Erosion in downstre a m cha nne l

2) He a dcutting a nd progre ssive fa ilure up spillwa y chute
3) Erosion of toe of e mba nkme nt da m
4) Uplift pre ssure ca using the stilling ba sin to floa t
5) Erosion of stilling ba sin founda tion
6) Ultima te fa ilure of the stilling ba sin

● If a ny of the se me cha nisms re sult, the stilling ba sin ne e ds modifica tion a s it

is not de signe d for the corre ct ca pa city
Failure Mechanisms

Ba ll Milling

● Crushe d ma te ria l (sa nds, gra ve ls, a nd cobble s) a re dra wn into stilling ba sin
from downstre a m a nd tra ppe d in hydra ulic jump
● Tra ppe d ma te ria l e rode s stilling ba sin concre te through grinding proce ss
● Ove r time , stilling ba sin founda tion is unde rmine d, he a dcutting progre sse s
upstre a m a nd ca n e ve ntua lly ca use re se rvoir bre a ch
● Unlike ly to ca use comple te fa ilure be ca use ba ll milling ta ke s a ve ry long
time a nd re gula r inspe ctions will re pa ir da ma ge ca use d
Case Study - El Gua po Da m

● Da te : De ce mbe r 16, 1999

● Loca tion: Rio Gua po Ba sin - 3 mile s South of El Gua po, Ve ne zue la
● Eve nts Progre ssion
1) Wa te r le ve l of da m re a che s 8 in. be low da m cre st
2) Ove rtopping of spillwa y cre st occurs
3) Ove rtopping re sults in stilling ba sin swe e pout
4) He a dcutting progre sse s upstre a m of stilling ba sin a s ove rtopping ove r
spillwa y ca use s e rosion of spillwa y ba ckfill
5) Re inforce d concre te chute , stilling ba sin, a nd a pproa ch cha nne l a ll fa il
be twe e n 4:30 a nd 5:00 pm
6) The combina tion of the se e ve nts re sults in bre a ch of re se rvoir a nd
ultima te fa ilure of the da m
Case Study - El Gua po Da m

1 - 3 From Le ft to Right
1)Stilling ba sin swe e pout initia te s he a dcutting upstre a m
2)Spillwa y ove rtopping initia te s e rosion of spillwa y ba ckfill
3)He a dcutting progre sse s to bre a ch re se rvoir
Case Study - El Gua po Da m
Wha t we nt wrong
● Initia l hydrologic studie s ba se d on simila r ba sin but not Rio Gua po Ba sin
● During construction, spillwa y chute wa lls we re ove rtoppe d which prompte d
a ddition hydrologic studie s a nd a ddition of a tunne l spillwa y
● Ba sing de sign ca lcula tions on ina ccura te da ta re sulte d in a stilling ba sin
a nd spillwa y syste m tha t could not ha ndle the volume of wa te r ne ce ssa ry
References:
● http://ce s-le ge nda .com/wp-conte nt/uploa ds/2013/07/CE-3205-W6.2-
Stilling-Ba sin-or-Ene rgy-Dissipa te rs.pdf
● http://porta l.e ng.a su.e du.e g/a shra fe lmousta fa /file /sbsoid74123dio/sbsfid
17065dif.pdf
● http://npte l.a c.in/course s/105106114/pdfs/Unit32/32_ 1.pdf
● http://www.e ngr.colosta te .e du/~pie rre /ce _ old/cla sse s/CIVE%20401/Te a
m%20re ports/11-%20StillingBa sins%20-
%20Pla za %20Potvin%20Sa ha b.pdf
● http://www.fhwa .dot.gov/e ngine e ring/hydra ulics/pubs/06086/he c14.pdf
● http://www.fhwa .dot.gov/e ngine e ring/hydra ulics/pubs/he c/he c14SI.pdf
● http://www.usbr.gov/ssle /da msa fe ty/risk/Be stPra ctice s/24-
Ove rtoppingOfWa llsAndStillingBa sinFa ilure 20121028.pdf