TR335 7 Embankment Dams

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TR 335: FOUNDATION ENGINEERING II

(2.0E CORE)
University of Dar es Salaam
College of Engineering and Technology
Department of Transportation & Geotechnical Engineering
2019
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Course contents
1) Foundations: Design and construction considerations.
2) Deep foundations: Types, analysis, design and construction
considerations.
3) Retaining walls: Types, design and construction aspects.
4) Excavations: Design and methods of excavation.
5) Seepage: Flow of water through soils.
6) Dewatering of soils: Methods of dewatering and pressure relief,
design of dewatering systems, filter requirements.
7) Embankment dams: Types of earth dams, design principles,

construction of earth dams.
8) Ground improvement techniques Pre-loading and soil replacement,

compaction processes and erosion control.
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Chapter contents
1) Introduction
2) Site investigation for embankment dams
3) Choice of dam wall
4) Types of concrete/masonry wall dams
5) Types of embankment earthfill dams
6) Choice of dam location
7) Design criteria and considerations
8) Seepage considerations in concrete and earthdam sections
9) Construction processes
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Quick reference to WR321: Rivers and Reservoirs…

Objective of the course:
•To provide the students with knowledge of river engineering and reservoir
operations
•To provide skills to students to be able to design simple river structures and
understand their performance under different conditions
Learning Outcomes:
Students will be able to design reservoirs and river structures, understand their
performance under different conditions of flow
Prerequisites: WR 321; WR 212
Contents of the course:

Rivers: Classification and definitions, data needs for river analysis; Meandering
in rivers, its causes, factor controlling meandering, remedial measures, river
training works; Aggradation and degradation in river beds, causes regime
channels, sediment routing and analysis.
Reservoirs: Definition, planning purposes, classification; planning; design data

studies, topographical geological, hydrological and reservoir data, selection of
construction site; Sediment storage requirements, sediment rate, distribution of
sediment, useful life of a reservoir; Reservoir operation studies.
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Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

Introduction
 The primary function of dams is to impound water.
 Dams form an essential component of;
1) Water supply systems
2) Hydroelectric power facilities
3) Flood control projects
4) Reservoirs for recreational and navigational use
5) Sediment retention
 Frequently dams provide multi-purpose services.

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Introduction continued
 The embankment dam (wall) has to satisfy two primary

requirements;
A. Have adequate shear strength to take water pressures from

the impounded water.
B. Have adequate imperviousness to reduce water losses by

seepage.
 The two requirements are contrary properties for a single soil type.
 Therefore an embankment dam design is a compromise between

the two criteria.
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Site investigation for embankment dams
Site investigations for embankment dams should involve;
 The DAM SITE:- River valley sides and bed
 The RESERVOIR AREA: - River valley and surrounding areas
 Construction materials: - Existing and potential/ proposed areas
 Meteorological and hydrological aspects
 Environmental and social impacts assessments (ESIA)

Choice of dam wall: Concrete or Earthfill?
 If a unit price of a cubic metre earth material is about 6 - 7 times
cheaper than the price of a cubic metre of placed concrete both
types will have the same overall costs.
 This implies for the same impounded water height you will need
approx. 6 times the volume of earthfill than concrete for the dam
wall.
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Components for concrete and earth fill dams
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Types of concrete/masonry wall dams
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Hydropower electric systems
Run of the river hydropower

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Types of Embankment Dams
 Homogeneous earthfill dam
 Zoned earthfill dam
 Diaphragm dam
 Rockfill dams
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Homogeneous earthfill dam
 Comprises of a single material which is sufficiently impervious.
 The slopes of the dam are made relatively flat to ensure stability.
 Upstream is designed so as not to be affected by rapid draw down
of the reservoir waters.
 Downstream must be relatively flat to provide a slope sufficiently
stable to resist sloughing.
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Zoned earthfill dam
 Central impervious core is flanked by zones of materials more
pervious but with higher strengths called shells.
 The upstream pervious zone guarantees stability against rapid

drawdown, the downstream pervious shell acts as a drain to
control the line of seepage.
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Zoned earthfill dam cont…
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Zoned earthfill dam cont…
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Earthfill dams longitudinal section
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Diaphragm dams
The bulk of the embankment is constructed of pervious material; sand,
gravel or rock and a thin diaphragm of impervious material provides the
water barrier
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Rockfill dams
 Relies on rock, either dumped in lifts or compacted in layers, as a
major structural element. Impervious membrane is used as a water
barrier and is placed within the embankment or upstream slope.
 Depending on the location of the membrane it can be referred to as

central core, sloping core, upstream membrane or decked.
 Economical when;
1) Large quantities of rock are available or will be excavated in
connection with the project.
2) Earthfill materials are difficult to obtain.
3) Short construction season prevails.
4) Excessive wet climatic conditions limit the placement of large

quantities of earthfill material.
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Choice of dam location
 The dam site should be favourable in terms of topographic,

geological and economic characteristics.
 The ratio of dam volume to volume of reservoir storage should be

optimal.
 The abutments should consist of sound rock with safe slopes and
no faults.
 The sub-base should be impervious otherwise possibilities of

subsoil water-proofing should be considered.
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Embankment dams design criteria
1. Embankment must be safe against overtopping (flooding) during
occurrence of inflow design flood by the provision of sufficient
spillway and outlet works capacity.
2. Slopes of the embankment must be stable during construction and

under all conditions of reservoir operation, including rapid
drawdown of the reservoir in the case of storage dams.
3. Embankments must not impose excessive stresses upon the

foundation.
4. Seepage flow through the embankment must be controlled so that

no internal erosion takes place and there is no sloughing in the
area where seepage emerges from the slope.
5. The embankment must be safe against overtopping by wave action

(ie; providing sufficient freeboard).
6. The upstream slope must be protected against erosion by wave

action, the crest and the downstream slope must be protected
against erosion due to wind and rain.
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Embankment dams design criteria continued
7. The design should take account of any earthquake events it is to
be subjected to.
8. All the above have to be met with a minimum total cost giving
considerations to both the initial construction cost as well as the
maintenance costs.
Design considerations
Some/ all of the following can be adopted in the design of the dam
cross-section;
 Inclination of slopes; safety factors upstream slope F ≥ 1.3,
downstream slope F ≥ 1.5.
 Design of the impervious element; central or sloping core, never too
thin; data of soil material;
 The coefficient of permeability k = 10-4 – 10-6mm/s.
 Max. grain size about 100mm.
 Layers of twice max. grain size compacted after Proctor.
 If possible with a stable grain size distribution.
 Attention to segregation while placing.
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Design considerations continued
cross-section;
 Sealing of the sub-ground
 Grouting
 Cut-off walls
 Filters; If there is seepage every interface of two different soil layers

has to fulfil the filter specifications in the direction of the flow.
Thickness of the filter at least 2 metres.
 Include sufficient drainage possibilities; drainage layers and drainage

galleries or pipes.
 Slope protection upstream against wave action, downstream against

wind and rain.
 Free board protection of the crest against overtopping (according to

the highest possible flood and according to bottom and spillway
capacity).
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Design considerations continued
cross-section;
 Super-elevation: to compensate settlements of the dam and the

foundation.
 Width of the crest: With zoned dams about 10m (core and filter
zones have to be properly protected).
 Embankment dam designed to meet the above criteria will prove

permanently safe provided proper construction methods and control
are achieved.
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Seepage considerations in earthdam sections
Water flow through earthdam cross sections can be analysed using
seepage theory and a flow net can be constructed using the
techniques described in water flow and seepage in soils.
1. The upstream soil surface in contact with the water is an equipotential.

2. The flow lines commence from this equipotential at right angles.
3. The top flow line or stream line is called the phreatic surface and its
location is not known but can be constructed with sufficient accuracy
by first drawing a parabola and then applying some adjustments at the
entry and exit points.
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Seepage considerations in earthdam sections cont…
4. The parabola is located by assuming that it passes through point B

where BC = 0.3AC and has its focus at point F. The point F lies either
at the downstream toe of homogeneous embankment or the upper end
of a filter drain, if present.
5. The property of a parabola is such that any point on it lies at the same
distance from the focus F and from the directrix.
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6. The directrix DE is a vertical tangent through the point D which lies at

the same level as B such that BD = BF. Points on the parabola are
then obtained by drawing arcs of varying radius with the compass point
at the focus F and intersecting lines parallel to the directrix at distances
equal to the radius values. Then EG = FG and FH = JH.
7. The entry part of the parabola is corrected in accordance with (2)

commencing at the point C.
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8. In homogeneous earth dam where the parabola cuts the downstream

slope above the toe the phreatic surface is adjusted downwards so
that it is tangential to the slope cutting it at point K such that:
FK = 0.64 FL for α = 30°
FK = 0.68 FL for α = 60°
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9. The pore pressure or pressure head along the phreatic surface is zero
so total head equals elevation head along this surface. The
equipotentials will then cut this surface at equal vertical distances
which can be marked off and used in the flow net construction.
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Potential seepage considerations
in concrete dam sections
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Construction processes
The key steps in embankment dams construction processes would
involve;
1. Preliminary work: Feasibility study, exploration, resettlements of
people, diversion of lifelines.
2. Development of construction site: Access roads, aerial tramway,
workshops, accommodations, processing plants, vehicle fleet,
laboratory facilities.
3. Diversion tunnels during construction.
4. Excavation work: Foundations, abutments, secondary installation.
5. Placing of materials: filling and proper compaction, controls.
6. Installation and instrumentation of the dam to measure:
 Deformations
 Pore pressures
 Pressure gauges
 Surveying of the dam
 Seismographs (to record earthquakes)
 Seepage discharge
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General view image of construction of an arched zoned earthfill dam

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Placing of the core in the construction of an arched zoned earthfill dam

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Image showing the multiple zones of an arched zoned earthfill dam

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Image showing instrumentation

placed during construction of an
arched zoned earthfill dam
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Image showing drilling of

grounting holes on the
abutments of an arched zoned
earthfill dam
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Image showing grouting of holes on the abutments of an arched zoned

earthfill dam
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Dam instrumentation and data acquisition
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Typical piezomentric monitoring
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Typical inclinometers monitoring
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Case study of earthdam failure: Manga Dam (2016)
Mwananchi Newspaper

TR335 7 Embankment Dams

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05/05/2019 1

TR 335: FOUNDATION ENGINEERING II

College of Engineering and Technology

Department of Transportation & Geotechnical Engineering

7) Embankment dams: Types of earth dams, design principles,

8) Ground improvement techniques Pre-loading and soil replacement,

2) Site investigation for embankment dams

3) Choice of dam wall

4) Types of concrete/masonry wall dams

5) Types of embankment earthfill dams

6) Choice of dam location

7) Design criteria and considerations

8) Seepage considerations in concrete and earthdam sections

Quick reference to WR321: Rivers and Reservoirs…

Prerequisites: WR 321; WR 212

Contents of the course:

Reservoirs: Definition, planning purposes, classification; planning; design data

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

 Dams form an essential component of;

1) Water supply systems

2) Hydroelectric power facilities

3) Flood control projects

4) Reservoirs for recreational and navigational use

 Frequently dams provide multi-purpose services.

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

 The embankment dam (wall) has to satisfy two primary

A. Have adequate shear strength to take water pressures from

B. Have adequate imperviousness to reduce water losses by

 Therefore an embankment dam design is a compromise between

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

 The RESERVOIR AREA: - River valley and surrounding areas

 Construction materials: - Existing and potential/ proposed areas

 Meteorological and hydrological aspects

 Environmental and social impacts assessments (ESIA)

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

Run of the river hydropower

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

 Homogeneous earthfill dam

 Zoned earthfill dam

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

 The upstream pervious zone guarantees stability against rapid

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

 Depending on the location of the membrane it can be referred to as

2) Earthfill materials are difficult to obtain.

3) Short construction season prevails.

4) Excessive wet climatic conditions limit the placement of large

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

 The dam site should be favourable in terms of topographic,

 The ratio of dam volume to volume of reservoir storage should be

 The sub-base should be impervious otherwise possibilities of

Chapter 7: Embankment Dams

2. Slopes of the embankment must be stable during construction and

3. Embankments must not impose excessive stresses upon the

4. Seepage flow through the embankment must be controlled so that

5. The embankment must be safe against overtopping by wave action

6. The upstream slope must be protected against erosion by wave