Chapter 1

An Overview of Engineering of Dams

1.1 Introduction
• Dams, in different forms, were
built by humankind since the
earliest days of known history.
The Roman dam at Cornalvo in Spain
• Remains of dams older than 2000 has been in use for almost two
years in china, Egypt, Iran, Yemen, millennia

ancient Mesopotamia, Rome and

other places where ancient
civilizations used to be.
• No developed civilization without
water management
Grand Anicut dam on river Kaveri in Tamil Nadu,
South India (19th century on 1st-2nd century
foundation
1.1 Introduction
• Old-world civilizations
developed in the valleys of the
big rivers

• If one looks back, one can see

that all major settled
civilizations were using water
supply systems and irrigations.
1.1 Introduction

• Power generations, though in its

immediate form, by means of water-mills
followed.
Watermill of Braine-le-Château,
Belgium (12th century).
• Planning, construction methods and
materials used have advanced in time,
mainly over the last century
1.1 Introduction
• Basic idea remained the same
• Introducing certain new goals (power
generation and its transformation to
electricity)

• Other purposes of dams are common

nowadays
• transportation by water, recreation, fish
growth etc.
1.1 Introduction
• For a while during mid
twentieth century (especially in
Europe) many large dams were
built exclusively for power
generation.

• However, in most cases in

modern practice most of them
are built to form multipurpose
reservoirs.
1.1 Introduction
• Along with benefits generally brought
through dam construction certain
negative effects are usually
unavoidable.

• Environmental impacts, affecting flow

regime, sediment transportation,
humidity, eco-cycle, and seismicity,
even migration of people and
displacement of monuments as well as
other impacts, generally are considered
as undesirable.
1.1 Introduction
• Fear of possible problems should not
lead towards giving up
• But should rather invoke desire to
prepare oneself as adequately as
possible to cope with problems and
contribute to minimize the negative
effects while maximizing the positive
ones
• In other words try to optimize the
solution.
• Building of dams is no longer mare
construction of structures and forming
the reservoir of desired volume
1.1 Introduction
• But it involves sophisticated detailed analysis in various
fields

• Even those that at first sight may look unrelated, many of

which used to be ignored for decades

• Until recently their importance was realized and widely

accepted so that their studies became part of standard
procedures in engineering of dams
1.1 Introduction
• Need of dams and reservoirs is still
present and it will not be exhausted in
foreseeable future

• Mistakes from the past should be avoided

in the future.

• General decisions (location, magnitude,

type of dam) made

• Detail and extensive studies ,including

aesthetic appearance.
• When everything is solved still endless
row of detailed construction drawings is to
follow
1.1 Introduction
• From very beginning to the end engineering
of dams is multidisciplinary set of activities to
be carried out by various numerous teams of
expert groups under careful coordination.

• Any thing less than that would necessarily

lead to failure with unforeseeable
consequences.
1.2 General concepts and
classifications
1.2 General concepts and
classifications
1.2 General concepts and classifications

•Built in vast variety of circumstances

for:
 Different purpose by different materials
and construction methods.
•This leads to different concept and
classification
 1.2.1 Concept of Dam

•Retaining structures (water, debris,

sediments).
•Various materials, dimensions, functions.
•Differ from all other major civil engineering
structures
•every dam, large or small, is quite unique;
• foundation geology, material characteristics, catchment flood
hydrology etc. are each site specific.
•dams are required to function at or close to their design
loading for extended periods.
 1.2.1 Concept of Dam
• dams do not have a structural lifespan
• they may, however, have a notional life for accounting
purposes, or
• a functional lifespan dictated by reservoir
sedimentation.
• the overwhelming majority of dams are of earthfill,
constructed from a range of natural soils;
• these are the least consistent of construction materials.
• dam engineering draws together a range of disciplines,
•e.g. structural and fluid mechanics, geology and geotechnics, flood
hydrology and hydraulics, to a quite unique degree.
• the engineering of dams is critically dependent upon
the application of informed engineering judgment.
 1.2.1 Concept of Dam

• In summary, dam engineering is a

distinctive, broadly based and specialist
discipline.
• The dam engineer is required to synthesize
design solutions which, without compromise
on safety, represent the optimal balance
between technical, economic and
environmental considerations.
 1.2.1 Concept of Dam
•Engineers need periodically to review and adjust their
perspectives.
•Established practices must be reexamined as resources
become more limited, and as the demands upon them
increases.
•New technical knowledge has to be shared fully.
•Of course, old methods should not be lightly abandoned, nor
should all that is new be embraced.
•Each must stand the test of current circumstances.
 1.2.1 Concept of Dam
•Despite the important advances attained in modern times,
dam engineering has many acknowledged limitations.
•The extent and the character of risk are not totally
predictable in every case.
•A primary goal is to reduce uncertainties through
investigations and preventive and remedial effort.
 1.2.1 ……..Dam cont…’d
Summary
• dam engineering is
– a distinctive,
– broadly based and
– specialist discipline.

• The dam engineer is required

– to synthesize design solutions
– Not to compromise on safety,
– To search optimal balance between technical, economic and
environmental considerations.
 1.2.1 ……..Dam cont…’d

Summary cont…’d
•In contemplating a project at its beginning, one must
examine the setting thoroughly to foresee problems.

•The engineers and allied scientists,

•must pool their knowledge and ideas
•so that the appropriate type of dam is selected and designed to withstand
postulated loadings.
 1.2.1 ……..Dam cont…’d
Summary cont…’d
•In the design and analysis of dams,
• concepts drawn from reasonable assumptions
•may be of greater value than calculations based upon uncertain data.

•Because dam construction requires the use of materials and

foundations that are inherently non-uniform,
 the engineer must maintain a realistic perspective on their
capabilities and limitations while applying the available scientific
methods.
Sophisticated devices and techniques may give misleading
impressions of precision.
Theories are founded on premises that may be valid only within
limited ranges, and nearly all of them must be tested by practical
experience.
Engineers must exercise their own judgment to the fullest in the
final analysis, drawing from its sources in theory and practice.
 1.2.1 ……..Dam cont…’d

Summary cont…’d
• Design features of dams which can have major
implications with regard to construction
programming and costs include
 cut-offs,
 spillway systems, including channels and stilling basins,
 internal drainage systems,
 internal culverts, galleries, etc.,
 foundation preparation, including excavation and grouting, etc.,
 construction details, e.g. transitions or filters in embankments
or contraction joint details in concrete dams,
 gates, valves and bottom outlet works, and
 river diversion works.
 1.2.2 Dams for containment of Water

•Storage dams (SD):- provide storage of water-reservoir

•Diversion dams (DD):- basically no storage
•Similarities and differences: common principles
1.2.3 Reasons for constructions of dams

•SD:
•provision of water storage-regulation
•Provision of flood control-regulation
•DD:
•provision of diversion capability
•Control of sediment transport
1.2.4 Historical development of dam construction

•The construction of dams ranks with the earliest and

most fundamental of civil/hydraulic engineering
activities.
•All great civilizations satisfies irrigation demands
arising through the development and expansion of
organized agriculture.
•the economic power of successive civilizations was
related to proficiency in water engineering.
•Prosperity, health and material progress became
increasingly linked to the ability to store and direct
water.
1.2.4 Historical development of dam construction

• Antiquity
• Middle age
• Modern times
• Development of knowledge and engineering
experience
•One going research development in
•Materials
•Construction techniques
•environmental issues of reservoirs
 1.2.5 Classifications of Dams
•Dams are of numerous types, and type classification is sometimes
less clearly defined.
• An initial broad classification into two generic groups can be made
in terms of the principal construction material employed.
1. Embankment dams are constructed of earthfill and/or rockfill.
2. Concrete dams are constructed of mass concrete.
• Embankment dams are numerically dominant for technical and
economic reasons, and account for an estimated 85–90% of all dams
built.
 1.2.5 Classifications of Dams
Based on Purpose Based on structural design:
Multipurpose • Gravity dam
Single purpose • Arch dam
• Buttress dam
Based on function • Earth and rock fill dam
Storage dam Based on capacity
Detention dam • Large dam
Diversion dam • Small dam
Debris dam Based on Rigidity
Coffer dam • Rigid dam
• Non rigid dam
Based on hydraulic design
Overflow dam
Non overflow dam
Based on material used
Masonry
Concrete
Earth
Earth and Rock fill
 1.2.6 Recent Progress

• In the past, when sites were favorable and resources

plentiful, the shortcomings of science could be overcome by
generous budgets.
• Massive dams stand today’s as monuments to that era and
to greatness of its engineers.
• Many of those works may outlive the present civilization,
surviving probable maximum floods, maximum earthquakes
and an inevitable measure of neglect.
• They were sound investments in their time.
 1.2.6 Recent Progress

•Today, greater emphasis must be placed upon the

economical use of resources.
•Design criteria must be scrutinized to eliminate excesses.
•It is necessary to determine levels of acceptable risk for
different sets of conditions.
•Attention must also be given to the justification of any
different criteria for old dams and new dams.
1.2.6 Recent Progress

•Procedures for the engineering of dams have evolved under

the authorship of an array of distinguished professional talent.
• Revisions or exceptions should not be advocated without
compelling reason.
•Practical and efficient methods must be found to raise the
capabilities of dams within the restraints imposed on them.
•A resource that must be tapped to the fullest is the ability of
engineers and their professional associates to innovate in
ways that will be effective. This is the essential challenge.
1.2.6 Resent Progress

Some noteworthy contributions to the

advancement of dam engineering in
recent times are:
•New Perspectives on Seismology-mathematical modeling
•Improved Methods for Foundation Treatment: grouting with
thick stable mixes and high pressures.
•Progress in Soil Mechanics: Site exploration has been
enhanced by advanced geophysical methods and by use of in-
site soil-testing devices.
1.2.6 Resent Progress
•Computerized Seepage Analysis
•Improved Stability Analysis of
Embankments
•Synthetic Membranes
• Methods of Earth Reinforcement
•Construction on Soil Foundations
•Dynamic compaction is used increasingly to
remedy defective soil foundations
1.2.6 Resent Progress
•Improved Embankment Construction
Control
•Innovative Approaches in Rockfill
Engineering
•Advances in Concrete Dam Technology
•Improved Techniques for Hydrologic and
Hydraulic Analysis
•Refinements in Instrumentation
 Group Assignment
Lessons from notable events
Why dams are failed?
Read and discuss the failure history of the given dam and present
the story why they failed.
•Group one:-
•The St. Francis Dam Failure
•Group Two:-
•The Failure of Malpasset Dam
•Group Three:
•The Baldwin Hills Reservoir Failure
•Group Four:
•Failure of Tenton Dam
•Group Five:
•Vaiont Reservoir Disaster