Chapter Two

Buttress Dams

Introduction:
Buttress dams consist of a sloping upstream face supported by a series of
buttresses. Buttress dams are constructed to save the quantity of concrete that
remains unstressed in a gravity dam.
To save concrete, solid walls of specified thickness and section are constructed
parallel to the flow, at some suitable intervals, these walls are called buttresses.
(Figure 1).

Figure 1: plan of buttress dam

Buttress dams can be considered even if the foundation rocks are little weaker
Buttresses are of two shapes triangular shape ( Figure 2 )and arch shape
(Figure 3)

Figure 2:Triangular buttress shape Figure 3:Arch buttress shape

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Flat slabs, or arch slabs as shown in (Figure 4) are supported on upstream side
on these buttresses.

Figure 4: Arch slab buttress dam

Buttress dams are adaptable to both overflow and non-overflow conditions.

Components of buttress dam:

A buttress dam consists of the following main components (Figure 5)
1-Sloping Membrane
The buttress dam has a sloping membrane on its upstream side to support the
water. The load is transmitted to a series of buttresses at right angles to the axis
of the dam. Sloping membrane may be a deck slabs or arches, deck slab is
more prevalent.
2-Buttresses
Buttresses are the walls generally with a triangular section with the apex at the
top. The upstream side of the buttress supports the sloping membrane. The
downstream side is also given a slope for the stability. These buttresses are
constructed at right angles to the axis of the dam. They support the sloping
membrane on upstream face and transfer the load from the membrane to the
foundation.

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3-Footings
Footings are required for the buttresses to transfer the loads to the foundation. If
the foundation is relatively strong, separate spread footings are provided, but for
relatively week foundations, mat footings are required.
4-Lateral braces
Buttresses are compression members which may buckle if the unsupported
length is large and the section is small. Lateral braces also called struts are
provided at right angles to the buttresses to provide resistance against buckling.
5-Corbels
Corbels are the cantilever type brackets cast monolithically with buttresses. The
deck slab is supported at its ends on these corbels. Thus corbels transmit the
load from the upstream deck slab to the buttresses.
6-Cutoff
A cutoff is provided at the upstream end of the dam to reduce the seepage and
uplift pressure.

Figure 5: Components of a typical buttress dam

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 Advantages of buttress dams
1-less concrete is used compared to a gravity dam of the same height.
2-Better heat dissipation
3-Increased speed of construction
4- More safety against overturning and sliding .
5-More equal distribution of stresses of foundation.
6- Less massive than gravity dam hence may be used on weak foundation not
suitable for gravity dam
7-Decreased uplift pressure.

Disadvantages of Buttress dams

1-Saving of concrete is largely substitute by more reinforcement required.
2-Needs more skilled labor
3-Slabs and columns are highly stressed, so it causes a danger of damage of
concrete of the deck
4-The thinner section is more susceptible to damage.
5-Higher cost of form work.

Classification of buttress dams

Buttress dams can be classified according to the water supporting membrane
utilized in the body of the structure, the main types are:
1-Deck slab buttress dam
The upstream deck slab buttress dam is made of a flat reinforced concrete slab
supported by a series parallel buttresses which rest directly on the foundation.
The water pressure is transmitted by the slab to the buttresses. The main layout
considerations are spacing of the buttresses and shape of buttress to support the
slab. The buttresses spacing, depending on the height of dam, varies 5 to 15m.
The upstream slope of the slab may vary between 35ᵒ to 45ᵒ with the horizontal.
This type of buttress dams are most commonly used in practice. (Figure 6) is an
example of this type.

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 Figure 6: Deck slab buttress dam

2-Columnar buttress dam

This type is similar to deck-slab buttress dam, the difference is that a continuous
slab is supported by inclined reinforced concrete columns, the columns are
stiffened by braces.

Figure 7: Columnar buttress dam

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3-Multiple-arch type buttress dam
It consists of a series of horizontal arches supported by buttresses. The central
angle of arches usually varies from 150o to 180o. This type is suitable for sites
where a strong foundation is available and the proposed height of dam is large.

Figure 10: Multiple-arch buttress

Figure 8:Multiple-arch type buttress dam

4-Multiple dome type buttress dams

It is similar to a multiple-arch buttress dam but here instead of arches, domes are
provided as the inclined deck-slab.

Figure 9: Multiple dome type buttress dam

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5-Massive-head buttress dam

In a massive-head type buttress dam the heads of the buttresses are laid against
each other. Therefore, there is no separate deck member to support the water on
upstream. This type is used where foundation is relatively weak.

Figure 01: Massive-head type buttress dam

6-Truss-type buttress dams

This type consists of a continuous deck-slab supported on a number of
reinforced concrete trusses.

Deck-Slab Buttress Dam

This dam is composed of the following main components:
1-Deck slab
2-Buttresses
3-Cutoff wall

1-Deck slab
The deck slab has three variations which are:

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(a)Freely (Simply) supported slab
The deck slab is not rigidly connected to the buttresses and it is flexible toward
movements. In order to provide a wide support for the slab, the upstream end of
the buttress where it joins the slab is made wider by providing a haunch or
corbel. The joint between the buttress tongue and the slab is filled with
bituminous mastic, thus movement of individual slabs is permitted along dam
axis as well as the slop. Keys are provided at the tongue so the total weight on
the slab is transferred to the buttresses.

Figure 11: Simply supported deck slab

The advantage that a simply supported deck slab provides is that it is flexible
toward movements, this is beneficial when differential settlement occurs. Also
temperature and shrinkage induced stresses do not have a significant effect.
Generally, simply supported deck slab buttress dam is suitable for wide valleys
where rock foundation is weak. The disadvantage of this type of buttress dam is
the larger thickness of the deck slab.
(b)Fixed (continuous) slab
The deck slab is cast monolithic with the buttresses and therefore it acts as a
continuous slab. It requires reinforcement on the upstream face at the supports
and on the downstream face in the middle of the span. The stresses induced by
settlement, temperature variation and shrinkage are significant. This type is
implemented where the rock foundation is strong because it will be more
economical than simply supported deck slab due to thinner slab thickness.

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 Figure 12: Fixed deck slab

(c) Cantilever deck slab

In this type the deck slab is cast monolithic with the buttresses in such a manner
that it overhangs on either side of the buttress and acts as cantilever, there is two
variations:
1-A suspended slab is provided between two adjacent cantilevers.
2-The adjacent cantilevers are extended up to the center of the span between
them.

Figure13: Cantilever deck slab

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2-Buttresses
The buttresses are triangular walls with both sides sloped. The slope of the
upstream face coincides with the slope of the deck slab, but the slope of the
downstream face for the dams of higher than 20 m ranges from 0.35 H: 1 V to
0.6 H: 1 V and for dams lower than 20 m it ranges from 0.1 H: 1V to
0.35 H: 1V.
The upstream face may be wider than the rest of section to form a corbel in
order to support the deck slab. Haunches are subjected to tensile stresses
therefore reinforcement should be provided there. A minimum reinforcement is
usually provided for the rest of the buttress to avoid cracks due to temperature
variation and shrinkage.
To increase the strength of the buttresses against buckling, the following
measures might be taken:
1-Provision of braces
2-Provision of stiffeners
3-Provision of flanges or pilasters
4- Adopting a double wall or a hollow buttress.

Figure 14: Hollow buttress

3-Cutoff walls
A cutoff wall is usually provided at the toe of the dam to reduce or prevent
seepage and uplift pressure.

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Forces Acting on a Buttress Dams
The same forces that act on a gravity dam or an arch dam work on a buttress
dam. However the following notes should be considered:
1-The weight of a buttress dam is much lesser than of a gravity dam. Therefore
it does not play the role of the stabilizing force.
2-The weight of water on the upstream face of the dam is significant and it
contributes to the stability of the dam.
3-The uplift force is not as important as in the case of a gravity dam. This force
is mostly relieved through the gaps between the spread footings. However, if a
mat foundation is provided then this force will be a major one and is computed
such as for a gravity dam.
4-The ice pressure is not important in the case of a buttress dam and usually it is
ignored
5-The rest of the forces are computed such as for a gravity dam.

Slope of Upstream Face of Buttress Dam

The magnitude of upstream slope depends on stability requirement and
foundation allowable pressure. As mentioned earlier, the stabilizing factor for a
buttress dam is the weight of water on the upstream face. The following notes
should be considered in selecting a slope magnitude:
1-The upstream slope and the buttress spacing are inter-related.
2-For a constant buttress spacing, small changes in the upstream slope results in
significant changes in the amount of required concrete quantity and vice versa.
Thereby, the economy of the project is affected.
3-The most economic slope for upstream face should be steep as much as
possible because stability requirements must be met and the induced stresses
should not exceed the allowable stress.
4-The upstream slope is selected by trial and error.
5-For each angle there is the most economical buttress spacing.

Buttress Spacing
The most economic buttress spacing is the one that results in minimum buttress
thickness and fully utilization of the concrete strength. However this is only
achievable when buttress spacing was not affected by any other factor. The
factors that effect on the economy of buttress spacing are:
amount of concrete, amount of reinforcement and cost of framework.
Based on this factors if:
a-Buttress spacing is large, the amounts of used concrete and reinforcement will
increase but on the other hand the cost of framework will decrease.
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b-Buttress spacing is not large, the amounts of used concrete and reinforcement
will decrease but the cost of framework will increase.
Therefore the most economic buttress spacing is the one that uses concrete,
reinforcement and framework economically while satisfying stability
considerations.
The following factors should be considered in selecting buttress spacing:
1-Height of Dam
The economical buttress spacing increases with the increase of height of dam.
Table below shows recommended buttress spacing for different dam heights on
rock foundations.

Height of Dam (m) Economical Spacing C/C (m)

15 – 30 5–6
30 – 45 9 – 12
> 45 12 – 15

2-Type of footing
3-Foundation condition
4-Upstream slope of dam
Preliminary Design of Buttresses Using Unit Column Theory
It is the usual practice to assume a trial section of buttresses and then analyze it
to verify that the assumed section satisfies the stability.
The proportions of the trial section may be determined from previous experience
or from comparison with other such dams constructed in the past.
Unit column theory assumes that the buttress consists of series of a hypothetical
unit columns with their axes curved (Figure 15). Thus a unit column is a curved
column of unit width with its axis along the polygon of the loads it carries.
The thickness of the unit column (perpendicular to the paper) increases from the
upstream end to the downstream end, depending upon the load it carries.
The following two assumptions are made in the unit column theory:
1- The load from the top of the column to the foundation is transferred by each
column independently of the adjacent columns above or below it
2- Each column is proportioned that uniform compressive stress is developed at
all sections. The column is suitably curved to avoid eccentric loading which
causes non uniform compression.

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The above two assumptions are satisfied if the axes of the unit columns lie along
the lines of major principal stresses that are the line of action of panel load Po .
The magnitude of the panel load depends upon the type of joints between the
deck slab and the buttress,
1- If the joint between the deck slab and the buttress is frictionless, then Po is
equal to the sum of the total water pressure Pw on the deck slab and the normal
component Wdn of the deck slab weight Wd (Figure 16 a).
2- If the joint between the deck slab and the buttress is monolithic, then Po is
equal to the vertical sum of the total pressure Pw on the deck slab and the weight
Wd of the deck slab (Figure 16 b).

Figure 1: A buttress with unit columns

Figure 16: Force polygon

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Design of deck slab for frictionless joints (finding the value of d):

Where;
is panel load per unit area (F/L2)
Wd is weight of deck slab per unit area
d is the depth of deck slab
h is the height of water above the point
φo is the angle made by the panel load Po with the horizontal

The maximum bending moment occurs at the middle of span and is given by:

For concrete section the bearing moment is ,

Design of buttress:

area = buttress spacing *1

to is the thickness of unit column at top

fc is the maximum permissible stress of concrete

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The thickness at lower sections is found using the following formulae:
⁄

Where , y is the vertical distance from the top of a unit column and its values
will be negative.
To draw the axis line of a unit column as in (Figure17), use the following
equations:
⁄

( )
Where and are in radians
φ is the angle with the horizontal made by the tangent to the column axis at the
distance y

Figure17: Axis line of unit column

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 Example :
A 60 m high buttress dam of the deck type has a buttress spacing of 12 m and
the inclination of the upstream face is 45o. Determine the shape of buttress and
the required thickness. Assume that there is no freeboard and the joints between
the deck and buttress are frictionless. Take fc as 4.5 MPa , γc as 24 KN/m3 and γw
as 10 KN/m3. The minimum thickness of buttress is 1.5 m. Take the unit
columns for the design of buttress at 10 m centers .Design only one unit column
at a depth of 20m from the top.
Solution:
No. of unit columns = 60 /10=6

Design of deck slab

Po = 200+24d sin 45

( )

( )

3600+ 305.47 d = 750d2

750d2 – 305.47d -3600=0

d =2.4m

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Design of buttress

and

( )

y t Φ X
-y/c e^(-y/c) sec φ
m m rad m
0 0 1.000 1.5 1.414 0.785 0
-10 0.0533 1.055 1.58 1.492 0.836 9.56
-20 0.1067 1.113 1.67 1.574 0.882 18.19
-30 0.1600 1.174 1.76 1.660 0.924 26.06
-40 0.2133 1.238 1.86 1.751 0.963 33.38

Stability Analysis of Buttress Dam

Stability against overturning and sliding is done similar to a gravity dam. The
only difference is that for a buttress dam the analysis is done for a unit buttress
and not per unit length.

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