Dam Engineering CIE 522

Eng. Chanda Chisha

MSc. Water Mgt. PgD. Env.Mgt, BEng
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment dams
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Nature and classification of Engineering soils
2.3 Engineering characteristics of soils
2.4 Principles of embankment dam design
2.5 Materials and Construction
Main Construction material for embankment dams
is clay soils & Gravels.
When Constructing an embankment dam, one
would either consider hiring a contractor for
both plant and Labour or outsource only
equipment.
Hiring or operating the Plant and equipment
come at a cost and therefore, as a person
charged with the design and consequently,
costing aspect, you need to ensure the options
of either hiring or procuring the plant is
economical.
In either case, technical guidance when
constructing a dam should be given by an
Engineer, preferably the designer of the dam.
What ever the option, Key Construction plant
include;
Excavator for Excavation Works – trenching &
excavation of borrow sites
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment dams
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Nature and classification of Engineering soils
2.3 Engineering characteristics of soils
2.4 Principles of embankment dam design
2.5 Materials and Construction
Tipper truck/s for ferrying of materials from
borrow sites to the site for works.
- The greater the tonnage, the better
- Always ensure these are in good working
condition
- Ensure the driver or operators are
competent
- Downtime can affect the rate at which the
project is completed
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment dams
2.1 Introduction Water Bowser for transporting of water for
2.2 Nature and classification of Engineering soils wetting the soil to attain compaction
2.3 Engineering characteristics of soils - These could either be a single truck or tracker
2.4 Principles of embankment dam design with mounted bowser.
2.5 Materials and Construction
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment dams
2.1 Introduction Rollers for compaction
2.2 Nature and classification of Engineering soils
2.3 Engineering characteristics of soils - Sheepsfoot Rollers- More effective for drier
2.4 Principles of embankment dam design soils
2.5 Materials and Construction - Vibrating Rollers – Suitable for soils with some
content of sand.
- Rammers and Plate Compactors – for areas
with space limitation.
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.5 Materials and Construction - BOQ A Generic BOQ Would Look Like the items shown

Item Description Unit Quantity Rate (ZMW) Amount (ZMW)

1 Remove topsoil in the dam foundation area and stockpile as specified m2

Excavate in cuttings in the area of the dam foundation and dispose of

2 m3
material as specified (provisional item)

Common excavation of cut-off trench and dispose of material as

3 m3
specified.
4 Excavation of cut off trench in rock (provisional item) m3
5 Foundation treatment of cut off trench as specified m2
6 Supply, place, compact and backfill in cut off trench as specified m3
Supply, place, compact and trim earth fill for the main dam as
7 m3
specified

Supply, plant and maintain grass on top-soiled areas as specified -

8 m2
Downstream face

Supply and place geofabric on slope to be protected by rip rap as

9 m2
specified
10 Supply and place gravel on geofabric as specified m3
11 Supply and place rip rap stone protection as specified m2

Supply, Install and test sluice valves Ø 300mm in control structures

11 as specified, including flange adapters to allow for proper mounting, piece
removing and or replacement of valves & Bulk flow meter
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.5 Materials and Construction - BOQ Main Construction material for embankment dams
is clay soils & Gravels.

Item Description Unit Quantity Rate (ZMW) Amount (ZMW)

Excavate for toe drain and blanket drain in common soil and
12 m3
dispose of material as specified.
Excavate for toe drain and blanket drain in rock and dispose of
13 m3
material as specified (provisional item)
Grade, trim and compact area for blanket drain and toe drain as
14 m3
specified
Supply and place geofabric in blanket drain and toe drain as
15 m3
specified
16 Supply and place coarse filter material for toe drain as specified m3
Supply and place earthenware drain pipes Ø 150mm in toe drain
17 m
as specified
Supply place and compact fine filter material (sand) for blanket
18 m3
drain and toe drain as specified
19 Supply and place earthenware tee for drain pipe as specified piece
20 Excavate and trim toe drain outlet in common soil as specified m3
Provide stone pitching to walls and bottom of toe drain outlet-
21 m2
optional
Excavate in cuttings in the area of the spillway and dispose of
22 m3
material as specified
23 Stone pitching of the spillway - optional m2
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.5 Materials and Construction - BOQ Main Construction material for embankment dams
is clay soils & Gravels.
Item Description Unit Quantity Rate (ZMW) Amount (ZMW)

OUTLET WORKS
Item Description Unit Quantity Rate (ZMW) Amount (ZMW)
1 Excavate in common soil to foundation of intake structure as specified m3

2 Mass concrete Class A - 1½ ( 37.5) for intake structure as specified m3

3 Vertical formwork for intake structure as specified m2
4 Supply and install trash screen, complete in final position as specified piece
5 Excavate in common soil trench for outlet as specified m3
Excavate in rock material trench for outlet conduit as specified
6 m3
(provisional item)
Supply, install, weld and test steel pipe Ø 300mm including bends etc
7 m
as specified.
8 Concrete class A-1½ ( 37.5) for outlet conduit as specified m3
9 Reinforcement for outlet conduit as specified-rebars Y12*12m num
Concrete work for control structures, valve chambers, rough and end
10 m3
wall for outlet conduit as specifie

Supply, Install and test sluice valves Ø 300mm in control structures as

11 specified, including flange adapters to allow for proper mounting, piece
removing and or replacement of valves & Bulk flow meter
TOTAL FOR THIS SHEET

Contingency at 10%

Total Estimate
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams 1. 0 Upgrading
Upgrading of an Embankment Dam could mean
increasing its Storage capacity or Increasing the Capacity
of the spillway to handle floods.

Depending on a site identified and availability of resources,

it is possible to upgrade and embankment dam for
purposes of increasing storage.

Upgrading Capacity could mean, to raise the Dam Height

from say 7m to 10m or more meters depending on the
topography.

Implications are – costs, stability investigations, extension of

the dam base length, extension of wall & Design
modification.
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams Upgrading

Upgrading could mean to raise the Dam Height from say

7m to 10m or more meters depending on the topography.
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation
Upgrading
of Embankment Dams

Upgrading the Spillway could mean, extending the spillway

width to increase cross section area to handle more flood
water.

It could also mean to modify the spillway to improve on the

spillway slope or its design through lining with concrete from
vegetation cover or having a stepped spillway.
New Spillway – 50m
Implications are – costs, stability investigations, extension or
excavation of spillway, Design modification.

Old Spillway – 20m

 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams 2.0 Rehabilitation
To rehabilitate is to restore to original state or condition or
near original condition.

Dams will require rehabilitation with time arising from

damage experienced.

Possible points/areas of damage could include:

- Spillway which could be eroded
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams 2.0 Rehabilitation
Possible points/areas of damage could include:
- Bleached Embankment
- Settled embankment
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams 2.0 Rehabilitation
Possible points/areas of damage could include:
- Bleached Embankment
- Settled embankment
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams 2.0 Rehabilitation
Stages of embankment repair would require
excavation and shaping before backfilling.

- In the process check the soil status and the levels of

compaction
- Monitoring of compaction and bonding of old as
well as new materials placed
- Continuous monitoring of the section once filling of
the reservoir is being done is important.
- Generate “As Built Drawings” for the finished work.
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams 2.0 Rehabilitation
Possible points/areas of damage could include:
- Differentially Settled Embankment

Backfilling and compacting well with the right moisture

maintained
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams 2.0 Rehabilitation
Possible points/areas of damage could include:
- Eroding and washing away of the side slopes
- Piping or formation of cavities through the dam
embankment

Possible solution could be backfilling and compacting

well with the right moisture maintained, focusing more
on the upstream face.
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams 2.0 Rehabilitation
Installation of dam monitoring devices is important and
should be done as part of the design phase.

- Piezometers are commonly used as dam monitoring

tools to monitor the water pressure and any possible
seepage
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams - Monitoring Piezometer Placement - Plan
The placement is along the dam length and at
different sections
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams

Reservoir Sedimentation
- Reservoir sedimentation is filling of the reservoir behind a dam
with sediment carried into the reservoir by streams.
- The flow of water from the catchment upstream of a reservoir
is capable of eroding the catchment area and of depositing
material either upstream of the reservoir, or in the still water of
the reservoir.
- The nature of the material in the catchment area and the
slope of the catchment area and the inlet streams are a
factor, as is the nature of the ground cover.
- Heavy rainfall falling on erodible material on a steep slope
with little ground cover resulting from overgrazing or wildfire is
a recipe for substantial sediment transport and significant
reservoir sedimentation
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams

Reservoir Sedimentation
- The loss of storage is only one deleterious effect of
sedimentation in reservoirs;
- others are
- Increased flood levels upstream of the reservoirs
- Retrogression of river bed and water levels
downstream of the dam
- The elimination of nutrients carried by the fine
sediment
- Effect on reservoir water quality
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams

Reservoir Sedimentation – Remedial

Measures/Management
- Minimizing the sediment input into the
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams

Catchment Vegetation Management

- Minimizing the sediment input into the reservoir
- The recovery of storage through dredging
- Maximizing the sediment through flow
- Catchment Vegetation
- Construction of coffer dams/low height barriers
- Flushing and desilting of sediments
- Low level outlets / sediment sluicing
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams

Silt Flushing or Sluicing

- e sediment input into the reservoir
- The recovery of storage through dredging
- s/low height barriers
- Flushing and desilting of sediments
- Low level outlets / sediment sluicing
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams

Mechanical Desilting
- e sediment input into the re
- The recovery of storage thr
- s/low height barriers
- Flushing and desilting of sed
- Low level outlets / sediment
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment Dams
2.13 Upgrading and Rehabilitation of
Embankment Dams
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment dams
2.11 Tailing Dams and Storage lagoons Tailings dams are used to store water
and waste that come as by products
from the mining process.
- These are Dykes that form an
“enclosure storage” for mining waste
storage.

- Failure to properly design the

dykes would lead to collapse of
the dam which would lead to loss
of life and property, - Case the
Brazillian dam collapse
https://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=he2fkMpJCYg
- Similar design consideration should
be taken into account, with the
volume of waste considered in
designing the capacity
 2.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
2.0 Embankment dams
2.11 Tailing Dams and Storage lagoons Storage Lagoons are containment
systems that are used for holding or
storing water or processed liquid
products such as molasses.

- Design Capacities are dependent

on the requirement of storage.
 1.0 Elements Of Dam Engineering
Additional Resource
https://www.icold-cigb.org/GB/dams/dams.asp
https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/Water/DamSafety/Documents/November-2018-
Workshop/MD-Dam-Safety-Training-Seepage-Rehabilitation.pdf
https://www.ussdams.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/materials.pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342801116_Dam_Engineering_Edited_Book
http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1444095/FULLTEXT01.pdf
https://www.zambezira.org/media-centre/video-gallery/kariba-dam-rehabilitation-project-kdrp
https://damsafety.cwc.gov.in/ecm-includes/PDFs/Manual_for_Rehabilitation_of_Large_Dams.pdf