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Settlement behaviour of a major dam

Conference Paper · November 2006

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 SETTLEMENT BEHAVIOUR OF A MAJOR DAM

Peter J Burgessr, Delfa Sarabia', John Small3, H. G. Poulosa and Jayanta Sinhas

ABSTRACT

The assessment of settlement behaviour of clay core rock fill dams has always been a challenge for dam
designers and geotechnical engineers. The method of construction and the material properties of the clay
and rock fill materials used in the dam construction have a significant influence on the inter-zonal
interaction and the load transfer that occurs within the dam. At times this load transfer can lead to
excessive differential and total settlements. The paper presents a case study of a major dam that experienced
large settlements during and after construction. An elaborate analysis has been carried out by modelling
the sequences of construction by using afinite element program (PLAXIS).

The paper describes the influence of the degree of compaction and moisture control on non-linear
deformation characteristics of clay core. High vertical strains in the wet placed region of the core and low
strains in the dry placed regions were analysed for possible shear development between the core and shell.
The rock fill for the dom embankment consists of quartzite, metasiltstone and phyllite material. These
materials have apparently undergone deformation with increasing height of the dam due to softening and
crushing as saturation of the embankment took place. The effect of soil consolidation and strength gains
have been considered in the analysis and are discussed. The settlement behaviour of the dam including these
fficts has been analysed, and compared with the historical post-construction settlements.
This paper is intended to provide valuable informationfor dam engineers handling clay core rockfill dams -
especiallywhere there is excessive settlement of the core.

Of particlllar interest are the movements and

1 INTRODUCTION
Blowering Dam is located on the Tumut River in
southern NSW approximately 13km south of the
town of Tumut. The dam was constructed
between June 1964 and September 1968 to store
water for irrigation, mainly in the Murrumbidgee
and Coleambally Irrigation Areas. It is a rockfill
dam with a central earth core ll2 metres high
with a crest length of 730 metres and contains
6,408,000 cubic metres of rockfill including filters
and 2,,182,000 cubic metres of earthfill. It has a
concrete chute spillway located at the right
abr"rtment (Figure l).
The design and supervision of construction by
contract were performed by the Snowy Mountains
Authority (SMA) also referred to in this paper as
the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority
(SMHEA) on behalf of the Water Conservation
and Irrigation Commission of the State of New
South Wales.
settlements within the embankment which have
been larger than those experienced on previoLls
dams in the area especi ally during construction.
However, the rate of settlement has decreased
with time, and it is considered that the dam has
achieved a state of balance by redistributing
forces between various zones. Figr-rre 2 presents a
comparison of the core settlement of Blowering
Dam with various earth core dams.
An in-depth study of the settlement of Blowering
Dam has been previously undertaken by Hunter
and Fell (2003). This current study should be
seen as a supplementary study to that document
and focuses on the results of an alternative
modelling approach.
1 Senior Principal, Coffey Geotechnics
2 Geotechnical Engineer, Coffey Geotechnics
3 Senior Principal, Coffey Geotechnics and Professor
of Civil Engineering, University of Sydney
4 Senior Principal, Coffey Geotechnics and Emeritus
Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Sydney
5 Project Engineer, State Water Corporation

ANCOLD 2006 Conference Page 1

 Plan of Blowering Darn
\ l$,t*ltt:
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Section atong and Up*tr"earn Elevation nf Blower.ing Oam Spiltway
Figure I Blowering Dam -
For this study a numerical analysis using finite
element techniques has been undertaken to model
the observed core settlement behaviour
incorporating the construction sequences, material
properties and moisture contents during
construction combined with the results of
embankment monitoring. The shear strains and
stresses have been analysed, and the distribution
of stresses within the embankment have been
examined during the phases of construction. This
paper presents the outcome of the analysis
highlighting potential explanations of the
settlements.
2 CONSTRUCTION OF THE
DAM
The cross section and long section profile of the
embankment are shown in Figures 3 and 4. The
nomenclature for the embankment zones adopted
the standard convention for the SMHEA as
follows:
Zone I Earth Core,
Zone 2 and 2B Selected filter Material,
Zone 3 A Inner zorte of selected rockfill,
Zone 3B Outer zone of selected rockfill,
"-^l l.:' ;r i ,i . , ir ., i ) 't i.: ,r l:
'^""'^'"t "i ,'..., , .'*., r,i.:i ri:,. ..1 .,1
Plan View - SMHEA
The dam site is located within a folded sequence
of inter-bedded metamorphic rocks, mainly
quartzfte (from sandstone), meta-siltstone (from
siltstone) and phyllite (from shale). This
formation is called the Brandy Mary Beds.
Alluvium covered the bedrock in the river channel
section to depths of 6 to 15 metres. Clayey
slopewash soil with rock fragments similar to
material from the earthfill borrow areas covered
much of the abutments.
The foundation area under the earthfill and the
filters was stripped of all surface materials above
moderately weathered bedrock and excavation
was continued into bedrock to a non-erodible
foundation.
The earthfill zone was constructed using
slopewash soils obtained from borrow areas
within the storage area upstream of the dam.
These soils were moisture pre-conditioned prior to
uplift, placed in the dam embankment and
compacted with at least 8 passes of sheep-foot
rollers with a compacted layer thickness of 150
mm to a minimum dry density of 98% Standard
Maximum Dry Density (SMDD).
The fine and coarse filters were processed from The procedures for placement of the rockfill
river gravels, wetted and compacted with a called for the Zone 3,A. and the Zone 38 materials
smooth drum vibrating roller in layers to be placed in layers of either 900m thickness or
approximately 0.48 metres thick. 1.8m thickness with water sluicing at a rate of 0.9
to 1 by volume and then compacted by a smooth

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The inner zones of rockfill (Zone 34) consisted of drum roller with 4 passes. In places in the
the selected, better class quartzite rock thoroughly downstream of the zones of the rockfill the layer
wetted and compacted by 4 passes of the vibrating thickness was increased from 0.9m to 1.8m and
roller in 0.9 metre layers. The outer zone of still apparently compacted with the same energy.
rockfill (Zone 38) was placed in 1.82 metre layers
and weaker phyllite was permitted.

Section through Blnwerlng Darn

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Long section profile ofBlowering dam (courtesy ofNSW Department ofPublic Works and Scrvices, Dams and Civil Section),

Figu Ye 4 Embankment Long Section Profile (Imperial Units)

The particular characteristics of therockfill and its All seams of soft, friable
and weak material in the
likely behaviour in the dam embankment are an foundation were cleaned out and backfilled with
involved subject beyond the scope of this paper. concrete or covered with pneumatically applied
For a start, the materials used were subject to mortar. The foundation was blanket grouted for at
significant strength reduction upon saturation, least the upstream two thirds of the earthfill
reducing in the case of the phyllite material by as contact. After blanket grouting, a single grout
much as 3 5% to 620/o. curtain was constructed across the foundation.

Furtherrnore the gradings adopted for the rockfill The earthfill was not placed until the foundation
were more suited to a hard rock such as granite treatment and grouting had been completed in the
and gneiss as used elsewhere on the Snowy river section. As a result, the rockfill in the outer
scheme, and had too few fines to give a dense sections of the embankment had been placed to a
compacted mass. It is understood that application height of 17 metres before any earthfill was
of water was intended to induce the strength placed.
reduction that had been noted in the rock strength
testing. After the embankment had risen to a level 40
metres above the foundation, the embankment
In our opinion it is more likely that the sluicing, was constructed in approximately horizontal
although effective in redistributing the fines such layers for the whole width of the embankment.
that the load would be taken by the coarser rock
particles, did not provide the degree of saturation The earthfill core consisted of phyllite and
required to induce particle breakdown at the time quartzite slopewash material from several sources
of placement. Moreover the relatively light within a radius of 3 .2km of the dam site. The
weight roller combined with layer thicknesses up material comprised gravelly clay with excess
to 1.9m would not have been effective in clayey fines to clay soil, of medium to low
compacting the rockfill to a fully compact state. plasticity.

Consequently there was potential for rockfill to All filter materials were processed from naturally
remain as a relatively low modulus mass with the occurring gravel deposits. The rockfill consists of
possibility of creep occurritrg as continued quartzite, meta-siltstone and phyllite.
breakdown occurred.
A moisture range of l% dry of optimum to I%
Reports of the thicker layers on the downstream wet of optimum was adopted for the embankment.
zones suggest that the downstream zones would However, it was considered that the earthfill
be of lower modulus. Accordingly, in setting the should be placed as wet as possible consistent
model parameters, recognition was taken of the with constructability aspects as this would
potential for differing effects upstream and provide a flexible low perrneability earthfill that
downstream and the likelihood of greater would be able to accommodate movements in the
settlement in the rockfill zones as the embankment without cracking.
embankment rose higher.
Initially, in the lower third of the earth core the Period Max. Fill Dry Moisture
water content was slightly dry of optimum, and Height Density Content*
the pore pressures as measured by piezometers (m) (tim3)
were low. Jul 1966- 34-37 r.t9 0.3% drv
Feb 196l
When the earthfill was approximately 35 metres Mar 1967 - 67-74 t.75 0.3% wet
above the foundation, it was decided to aim at a Oct 1967
moisture content slightly above optimum. Nov 1967 - t12 1.78 0.1% wet
Apr 1968
From then on the placement moisture content was Table I : Summarv of Core Moisture Content
kept at an average of approximately 0.3% wet of
optimum. When the embankment had reached a Note: Median values are quoted for the individual
height of about 70 metres, some difficulty was time periods.
experienced in movement of equipment on the
earthfill and the moisture content tatget was *Field Moisture Content Variation from Optimum
decreased to optimum. Moisture Content

Table 1 presents a summ ary of core moisture
content and dry density.
As the eafthfi; was o, u.r, low penneability it
was assumed that there would be no dissipation of
pore pressures during construction. The
piezometers located near the axis of the dam,
which is about the centre of the earthfill, have
shown no significant dissipation of pore pressure.
There was, however, some dissipation of pore
pressure towards the outer limits. The
piezometers, installed after the placement
moisture content was increased above optimum,
showed evidence of pore pressure build up.
The total settlement of the core at the end of
construction as measured by the internal vertical
movement (IVM) gauge was about 5.8m. Figure 5
presents the settlement of the IVM cross arms.
During construction, there were two distinct
patterns of settlement observed with the change of
pattern from one to the other being at
approximately RL 316m.
At about this level, there were two changes in the
construction procedures. The placement moisture
content was increased and the earthfill material
was obtained from a different borrow area to that
used in the lower parts of the embankment.

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Figure 5. Core settlement during construction - Imperial Units

Below RL 316m, the earthfill was predominantly
quartzite and phyllite slopewash, and above this
level was residual weathered porphyry slopewash,
which was generally finer material.
The change in consolidation characteristics
appeared to be more likely due to different
properties of the earthfill materials rather than the
change in moisture content.
3 MATERIAL PROPERTIES
Table 2 presents material properties used in the
model. The method of assessment of these
properties is discussed in Section 5.
4 METHOD OFANALYSIS
The analysis of the settlement behaviour of
Blowering Dam was carried out using a finite
element programPLAXIS. PLAXIS is capable of
modelling the non-lin ear, time dependent and
anisotropic behaviour of soils and rock.
An iterative approach was adopted in the
application of the PLAXIS pro gram, whereby the
best assessment of the soil's strength parameters
was made on the basis of the soil test results from
the investigation and design of the dam.
Adjustment of layering and loading was then
undertaken to approximate the observed
movements.
from 8.5m to 9.6m. The finite element model of
the dam is shown in the Figure 6.
The elastic-plastic Mohr Coulomb model was
used for the rockfill, filters and earthfill core. The
rockfill and filters were modelled as drained while
the core was treated as undrained. The core being
modelled as undrained enables the full
development of excess pore pressures.
Consolidation analysis was used in all the
construction stages to analyse the development or
dissipation of excess pore pressure with time in
the earthfill core.
5 MATERIALPARAMETERS
The material properties of the embankment
materi al zones were developed using the available
data including laboratory testing of the materials.
Table 3 presents a summary of the compression
and recompression indices derived from the
laboratory consolidation testing carried out on the
core materials. These indices were used to derive
the modulus of the earthfill core.
The core was modelled as havine three mam
regions:
. the low er zone placed "dry",
o the mid zone placed "wet" and,
. the upper zone placed at optimum
moisture content.

A staged construction was adopted in the analyses

to simulate the construction sequence of layers.
The dam was initially modelled into three layers
to simulate the materials placed at different
moisture contents. The model was further
d into
elopecl
devel I z Ilayers w th thickn
lnto 12 rcKnesses rangln
Unit Bulk Unit Cohesion Friction Modulus Permeability (cm/sec)
Weight (kPa) angle (MPa)
(kN/m3) (degrees)
Core-dry 20.1 5 27 20-26.8 2 x l0-'
Core-wet 19.7 5 27 r2-t7.9 2 x 10-'
Core-optimum 20.1 5 27 2.5-9.8 2 x 10-'
u/s* d/s*
Zone 2A & 2B 2t.s 5 40 55 45 1x102
Zone 3A'- 1 20.9 5 43 55 45 1 x 102
Zone 3A-2 20.6 5 40 50 40 1x102
Zone 3B 20.6 5 38 40 30 I X 102
Table 2 Summa of Material Pro erties
*u/s upstream zones, d/s - downstream zones
-
 The rockfill was modelled in three zones.
Layer Compression Recompression o Inner Zone 3,A,.- I : finer sized rockfill
Index, Cc Index, Cr placed in 480mm layers. This zone was
I - placed 0.102 0.022 of low compressibility.
drv
2 - placed 0.08s 0.01 I Outer Zone 3A-2: rockfill placed in 0.9m
wet thick layers. This zone is more
3 - placed 0.066 0.01 I compressible than Inner Zone 3.A.- 1

optimum
Table 3: Summary of compression and Zone 38: rockfill placed in 1.82m thick
recompression indices - earthfitl core layers. This zone is of high
compressibility.

The three main regions were further divided into The assessment of the modulus for the rockfill
four layers. The earth core modulus was required a degree of iteration until a modulus was
calculated from the consolidation test results obtained that, in conjunction with the earth fill
together with the stress state of each layer. This modulus gave an embankment deformation
meant that as each layer was added the modulus compatible with that measured from installed
of each layer had to be recalculated and increased instrumentation. One of the determining factors
each time. In this manner the lowest layer has the in the setting of the parameters for the rockfill was
highest modulus. the observed behaviour of downstream movement
at the end of construction condition. To
The filter zone was modelled with low reproduce this behaviour and the subsequent first
compressibility. filling behaviour it was assessed that the
downstream rockfill zones were probably of
slightly different modulus as a result of the effects
of differing saturation conditions upstream and
downstream of the core.

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6 RESULTS OF MODELLING
The results of the modelling are summarised in
the following four figures:
Figure 7 shows the total maximum deflection at
the end of construction.
Figure 8 shows the coffesponding maximum shear
strains developed within the embankment at the
end of construction.
Figure 9 shows the total maximum deflection at
the end of first filling.
Figure 10 shows the coffesponding maximum
shear strains developed within the embankment at
the end of first filling.
Figure 8 shows the magnitude of strain induced in
the earth core as a result of the settlement. The
pattern of strain induced in the core is one of
centre line symmetry with steeply sloping zones
reaching a magnitude of about 12% in the centre
of the core. The shear strains intersect at about
mid point in the earth core coffesponding with the
portion of the core compacted wet of optimum
and in which about 50% of the core settlement
had occurred.
Figures 9 and 10 show the coffesponding results
of the modelling for the first filling condition.
This was modelled using the load of the water on
the upstream face to induce the observed
settlement of the core. The resultant settlement of
6.17m compared with 6.3m as measured by the
IVM gauge.

7 DISCUSSION 8 CONCLUSIONS

Figure 7 represents the base case for the dam
embankment. For this case it was found that the
strength and stiffness of the enclosittg rockfill
zones had a significant effect on the settlement of
the clay core. The modulus of the rock fill was
adjusted until the direction and magnitude of the
movement were of the same order of magnitude as
the results of the embankment monitoring. The
resultant settlement of 5.76m compares with 5.8m
as measured by the IVM gauge.
The modelling carried out during the current study
has, in the opinion the authors provided a valuable
interpretation of the deformations that can occur
in a large earth and rockfill dam. The
deformations and highest strains occurred in the
middle two thirds of the dam embankment core
which happens to coincide where the designers
sought to place earthfill materials with the greatest
water content with respect to optimum moisture.

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Figure 7 Total maximum deflection 5.76m - end of construction w;,"

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Figure 8 Extreme Shear Strain 12oh- end of construction
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Figure 9 Total maximum deflection 6.17m - end of first filling

Figure 10 Shear Strain l2o/o end of first filling

In addition, the dam was constructed using a rock
fill material that was particularly susceptible to
loss of strength upon saturation. The rock fill
materials appear to have been compacted in a
manner more suited to a hard rock such as fresh
granite or gneiss and with a layer thickness gre ater
than can be effectively compacted where
maximum particle breakdown during compaction
is required.

For these reasons we consider that the settlement

characteristics observed for the dam embankment
can be related to a combination of moisture
content variation within the central core zone of
the dam combined with a lack of substantial
stiffness from the enclosing rock filI zones.

The maximum shear strains of about 12% have

developed in the central part of the core where the
placement moisture content is highest relative to
optimum and are considered unlikely to have
formed continuous failure planes.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors would like to thank Mr Bob Barber
and Mr Glenn Tully, State Water Corporation,
New South Wales for their review and permission
to publish some of the analysis results in this
paper.

10 REFERENCES
Hunter, G. & Fell, R. 2003. The Deformation
Behaviour of Embankment Dam. UNICIV Report
R-416.

Fell, R. MacGregor, P. Stapledon, D. & Bell, G.

2005. Geotechnical Engineering of Dams.

Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority, 3rd

Edition 1993. Engineering Features of the Snowy
Mountains Scheme.

State Water, 2005. Blowering Dam Surveillance

Report July 2005.

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