Spillway and Bottom Outlet

HERBD 08 – Storage and Hydropower

Miroslav MARENCE
WSE 2010 – 2012
Spillway – Function and types
A spillway is a structure used to provide for the controlled release of flows from a dam
into a downstream area. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop
and damage or even destroy the dam. Except during flood periods, water does not
normally flow over a spillway.
Definition of spillway based on discharge control:
• Uncontrolled (unregulated) – flow a function of the water level
• Controlled (regulated) – flow defined by gates operation
Embankment dams usually have separate spillways either in the form of a chute
located on one of the dam flanks or a funnel‐ shaped overflow structure which
discharges the water through a tunnel to the downstream side of the dam.
In the case of concrete dams
dams, the spillway can be integrated into the dam body in the
form of an overflow section in the centre of the dam.
Spillway types:
• Free overflow • Stepped
• Ogee • Drop inlet
• Side channel • Bell‐mouth (morning glory)
• Labyrinth

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Spillway ‐ free overfall

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Spillway – Free overfall

Kárahnjúkar Hydropower Scheme, Iceland Shahid Rajaee Dam, Iran

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

 Ogee spillway
Outflow from a free fallingg weir,,
properly ventilated from below
M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet
The upper curve of the ogee is made to conform
closely to the profile of the lower nappe of a
ventilated sheet of water falling from a sharp crested
weir. Flow over the crest of an overflow spillway is
made to adhere to the face of the profile by
preventing access of air to the underside of the sheet
of flowing water. Naturally, the shape of the overflow
spillway is designed according to the shape of the
lower nappe of a free flowing weir conveying the
discharge flood. Hence, any discharge higher than the
design flood passing through the overflow spillway
wouldld try to shoot
h forward
f d and
d get d
detached
h d ffrom the
h
spillway surface, which reduces the efficiency of the
spillway due to the presence of negative pressure
between the sheet of water and spillway
p y surface –
need for aeration.
 Spillway – Ogee crest spillway, unregulated

Gilgel Gibe II, Ethiopia

©Verbund, Klammersee, Austria

Cooloolabin Dam, USA

Boonton Dam, USA

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Spillway – Ogee crest spillway, regulated

©PÖYRY, HPP Birecik, Turkey

©PÖYRY, HPP Karakaya, Turkey

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Spillway – Side channel

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Spillway – Side channel

Spullersee Reservoir, Austria

Upper Glendevon Reservoir, UK

U i City
Union Ci dam,
d USA

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Spillway ‐ Labyrinth
LLabyrinth
b i h spillways
ill can be
b an economical i l solution
l i ffor increasing
i i spillway
ill capacity
i as
they provide increased unit discharge over conventional weirs for a given head. Nearly
all of them consist of vertical reinforced concrete walls upon horizontal bottoms in a
trapezoidal
p layout.
y

Disadvantages of labyrinth spillway:

• Due to the cost of high walls, economic benefits are reduced in the case of
Ute Dam, USA

specific flows greater than 20 m³/s/m.

• Their shape is not favourable to be used at the crest of standard gravity dams.

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Spillway – Piano Key Weir
In order
d to avoidid the
h two d drawbacks
b k off llabyrinth
b i h spillway,
ill a new solution,
l i the
h
Piano Key Weir (P.K. Weir) has been studied and tested since several years in
hydraulic laboratories.
Th walls
The ll are partly
l iinclined
li d with
i habbetter h
hydraulic
d li shape,
h h
hangovers are
used to allow for positioning the structure on a gravity dam and the lay out is
rectangular and somewhat similar to piano keys

Ute Dam, USA

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Spillway – Stepped spillway
A stepped d spillway
ill d i increases
design i considerably
id bl the h rate off ki
kinetic
i energy
dissipation taking place down the spillway channel. The design eliminates or
reduces greatly the needs for a sizeable energy dissipater at the toe of the
chute in the form of a hydraulic jump stilling basin or flip bucket and plunge
pool.

Opuha embankment dam, New Zealand

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Spillway – Drop inlet
Addrop iinlet
l spillway
ill iis a mechanical
h i l system which
hi h llowers water through
h habbox or pipe
i
structure. This system internally dissipates most of the energy produced by the water.

Hoover Dam, USA

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Spillway – Bell mouth (morning glory)
Lake Berryessa, HPP Monticello, USA

http://www.usbr.gov/mp/berryessa/images/morning_glory_spillway_large.jpg

M kh i dam,
Makhazine d M
Morroco
©Verbund, Malta main stage, Austria

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Spillway chute

HPP Mostarsko blato, Elektroprivreda HZHB, BiH

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Spillway – Baffled chute

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Energy dissipaters
At the
h bottom
b off the
h spillway
ill scour may occur for
f unprotected d streambeds
b d
which forming deep plunge pool (Kariba dam). The volume and the depth of
the scour hole are related to the range of discharges, the height of the drop,
and the depth of tail water.
water Where erosion cannot be tolerated an artificial
pool can be created by constructing an auxiliary dam downstream of the main
structure, or by excavating a basin which is then provided with a concrete
apron or bucket
bucket.

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

 Spillways – Different projects

Cleveland dam spillway, USA

©PÖYRY, HPP Karakaya, Turkey

Oldman river dam spillway, USA

Llyn Brianne spillway,

Wales, UK
HPP Keban, Turkey

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Spillway – hydraulic modeling
HPP Shahryar,
Sh h Iran (EPFL,
( Lausanne))

HPP Nam Ngum II, Lao (AIT Bangkok)

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Bottom outlet
The bottom
Th b outlet
l isi used
d to regulate
l the
h water level
l l ini the
h reservoir
i and
d even to
empty it completely. In concrete dams, the bottom outlet can be integrated into the
structure. In embankment dams, the river diversion tunnel is commonly used as the
bottom outlet.
Bottom outlet function:
• drop down of the reservoir level
• controlled filling of the reservoir, especially during first filling
• additional flood water evacuation (should not be included in design)
• controlled outlet for other functions (irrigation, environment, ship navigation, etc.)
• flushing of reservoir
Position
P i i and d capacity
i off the
h bottom
b outlet
l depends
d d on the
h outlet
l functions.
f i
Minimal dimension (clogging):
• diameter 1.8 m (USBR – US Bureau of Reclamations)
• diameter 2.0 m ((Comité National Français)
ç )
Possible positions:
• integrated in the dam body
• in the gallery under the dam
• in tunnel in the flank (mostly diversion tunnel)

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

 Bottom outlet integrated in the dam

Construction Operation

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Bottom outlet under the dam
SSolution
l i is i mostlyl usedd by
b concrete dams
d where
h the
h bottom
b outlet
l is
i
integrated in the dam foundation. In case of earthfill dams the concrete
outlet structure is sensitive on differential settlements and also gives
possibility for piping.
piping

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Bottom outlet in the flank – modification of the diversion tunnels

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Conversion of diversion inlet into bottom outlet inlet ‐ example

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet

Bottom outlet ‐ Operational safety
Bottom outlet function check:
Bottom outlet must have 1. Initial position. Service gate
two closing devices: opened, operation gate
operation and service closed
gate
t ((valve)
l )
2. Service gate close and open
The reliability of the
bottom outlet must be
ensured and controlled p
3. Operation ggate open
p and
during the live time. close for at least 10 cm
Full opening of the
bottom outlet is in normal 4. Closingg service gate
g
operation mostly not
preferable, because of
flooding the downstream
area or lost in the energy,
energy 5. Operation
p gate
g fullyy
therefore function check opened and closed
procedure have been 6. Operational gate closed
developed: and service gate opened –
Initial position

M. Marence: Spillway and bottom outlet